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http://www.pottstownmercury.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=7563330&BRD=1674&PAG=461&dept_id=18041&rfi=6
Police: Children using dangerous lookalike guns
Sharon Stahl, [email protected] April 01, 2003
Amity Police Officer Victor Frederick holds a lookalike .40-caliber Beretta pellet gun in a chrome-like finish, left, and a real .40-caliber Beretta on the right in a black finish. Strickler photo.
AMITY -- Pellet and BB guns are becoming a big complaint for police who say they are as dangerous as real guns and are being used by children.
"They’ve become very popular, and kids that would traditionally shoot a long-barreled BB gun are now opting for these realistic looking handguns," said Amity Police Officer Victor Frederick.
What police have learned about these guns is compelling and disturbing.
The guns fire projectiles that range from 150 to 300 mph and can cause serious injury or even death.
Some of them are so realistic that police would have to hold them to determine whether they were real.
There have been quite a few instances where teenagers were driving their cars with the weapons inside.
"We’re looking in the cars, and we can’t tell if the gun is real or not," explained Frederick.
"Now we’re taking our weapons out and getting the teens out of the car at gun point because we think they have a weapon."
Some of the pellet/BB guns are marked with orange paint on the barrels or on the ends, but criminals have caught on and often paint the barrels or ends of a real gun with orange in order to fool police.
"It’s no indication to a police officer that the end of a barrel is orange, it doesn’t mean it’s a fake weapon," said Frederick.
Many of these pellet/BB guns aren’t being used in the back yard for target practice, Frederick said. Teens are stuffing them in their pants like a real gun and riding around in cars with them.
"If you’re using the weapons properly, it’s not going to be a problem," said Frederick. "There’s no reason to be carrying them around in a vehicle."
"They’re role-playing with these weapons because they look so real," he added.
Teens are learning at a young age how to be comfortable handling a real weapon.
Manufacturers say a person must be 18 years old to purchase the gun, but Frederick said his investigation revealed store clerks aren’t carding everyone buying these weapons.
"It’s possible for a child to have one and the parents don’t even know it," said Frederick.
According to the manufacturer of the BB guns, anyone under 16 should have adult supervision when using the gun.
"I really believe people are looking at these as toys," said Frederick.
During his investigation, Frederick obtained startling statistics.
There are two types of pellet/BB guns. One is spring activated with a forced air activation and one is used with a compressed air cartridge.
The spring-activated guns are less dangerous because they shoot at much lower velocities. The spring-loaded forced air guns shoot at 220 to 230 feet per second or 157 mph. The manufacturers say they’re dangerous at up to 150 yards away.
The Co2 compressed air guns shoot between 400 and 430 feet per second or 273 to 300 mph and are dangerous at distances of 250 to 400 yards away.
These weapons are shooting lead BBs, lead pellets, plastic BBs or pellets and something called bolts, which have a ¼-inch sharpened steel tip which is similar to a dart.
To penetrate skin, a projectile must travel 163 feet per second, and to break a bone, it must travel at 213 feet per second.
"These are not toys, these are weapons," said Frederick.
There are documented cases of suicides and homicides with pellet/BB guns.
"They may be a step down from gun powder bullet-type toys, but they’re weapons," he added.
One particular pellet/BB gun is an exact replica of a Smith and Wesson 9mm and cannot be differentiated from a real gun.
"This area sells out of them as quickly as they come in," said Frederick.
Paint ball guns are another dangerous weapon if not used properly.
Last year, an 11-year-old Amity girl lost a large percentage of her eyesight because a 10- and 11-year-old were using a paint ball gun without supervision. The boys shot the gun at the girl and the paint ball hit her in the eye.
"Between the force and the chemical in her eye, she’s partially blind," said Frederick.
Paint ball guns are designed to be used at paint ball facilities with safety equipment.
"A paint ball gun in a child’s hand, walking around the neighborhood, is not safe," said Frederick. "Many parents don’t understand just how dangerous they are."
He said these toys are dangerous and should be locked up. The answer to the problem is in educating people about the dangers.
Frederick will present his findings from his investigation, explain the dangers and provide safety tips for using these pellet/BB guns at the Amity Crime Prevention Network meeting. The program is called, "Toys or Weapons: Pellet, paint ball and BB gun safety."
"We’re encouraging parents to bring their teens or preteens with them and to bring their BB guns with them so we can determine which kind it is," said Frederick. "The only thing we’re asking is no long guns or paint ball be brought and no ammunition."
All pellet guns will be checked at the door to make sure they’re empty.
Safety will be taught so the teens and parents can learn the proper way to enjoy the guns.
Exeter Police will have a K-9 demonstration and Wal-Mart is donating $20 gift certificates which will be given to those who choose to turn these weapons over to Amity Police.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. April 9 at the Amity Fire Co. on Pine Forge Road just off Route 662. For further information, contact Officer Frederick at the Amity Township Police Department at 610-689-6002.
©The Mercury 2003
