COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — ABC 6 is examining a serious warning for parents. As the popularity of BB and pellet guns continues to rise, there are growing concerns about safety.
The main issue is that these guns are nearly identical to real firearms. In interactions with law enforcement, this can turn deadly. Sadly, in some cases, it already has. At L.E.P.D. Firearms in North Columbus, gun safety and training are a primary focus.
Shop owner Eric Delbert is warning parents about the rising popularity of BB and pellet guns.
“It looks real. And so it’s it’s a recipe for disaster.” -Eric Delbert
There have been two recent incidents in Central Ohio. In April, Madison Township police issued a community warning after suspects shot pellet gun rounds into homes. A separate incident at Westerville South High School involved a realistic-looking BB gun, which could have led to a more severe outcome, Delbert noted.
“The thing that’s very concerning from a law enforcement perspective is, you know, you never show up at work thinking that you’re going to potentially take the life of somebody or have to defend yourself,” Delbert said. “And when you put these in the hands of a child and just think that thought of that, you maybe have to defend yourself, and you come back and find out later there was a pellet gun.”
Despite not being classified as lethal weapons, realistic-looking BB and pellet guns have led to fatalities. In 2014, 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by a Cleveland police officer while playing with a toy BB gun. In 2016, 13-year-old Tyre King was shot and killed by a Columbus officer while holding a BB gun.
This danger is real for Franklin County deputies. Chief Deputy Rick Minerd of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office gave ABC 6 a look at some of the realistic-looking guns deputies have recovered from the streets.
“More and more, we’re seeing replica guns, whether that be in the form of BB guns, airsoft, or even toys that have been modified to make them look real,” said Minerd.
Minerd emphasizes that in the wrong hands, at the wrong moment, the consequences could be deadly.
“When somebody has a replica gun on them and they pull it for whatever reason, officers really have a split second to determine whether that is a true threat or not. Unfortunately, sometimes that ends in tragedy. It’s unfortunate,” Minerd told ABC 6.
Minerd also urges parents to keep their kids away from these replicas.
“Our message for the community is: if it looks real, treat it real,” said Minerd.
In the U.S., most toy guns are required to have a brightly colored tip or distinctive colors along the body to distinguish them from real firearms. Delbert told ABC 6 that many of these guns are nearly the same weight and have the same markings and finishes as real firearms. However, these look-alike replica guns aren’t federally required to have any clear indicators that they don’t shoot real bullets.
“The scary thing is, in a holster, and again, that’s the real gun. That is a real gun in the holster,” said Delbert.
A few years ago, a terrifying “what if” was caught on a Columbus police officer’s body camera. Columbus police reported that two boys with a realistic-looking BB gun nearly got shot by officers.
The story and tense moments made waves across the country.
Delbert and law enforcement leaders like Minerd are hopeful parents will heed this warning, as it could literally be a matter of life and death.
Several states have implemented laws to regulate the sale of BB and pellet guns, including banning children under the age of 18 from possessing them. However, here in Ohio, there are no state-level laws specifically regulating the sale or use of BB and pellet guns.
