Cops Warn Kids About Realistic Toy Guns

The City of Washington Police Department took to social media to remind parents of the importance of discussing with their kids the dangers of playing with realistic toy guns.

Kids Shooting at Each Other for Fun

It has come to the attention of the local police that a group of kids has been driving around town playing a game called "Assassin," which involved shooting each other with real-looking toy guns, Fox News reported. The police received a report that the youth was armed with what appeared as real guns being pointed from a moving vehicle.

Local authorities were able to stop the vehicle and discovered the Youth were carrying bb guns. They proceeded to warn the kids that the so-called game can put them in dangerous situations. 

ALSO READ: Talking To Your Kids About Gun Violence

Further, the social media post was meant to urge discussion between other parents and their kids on bb guns, telling parents to "please talk to your kids not to play this game as it causes dangerous situations."

ALSO READ: 3-Year-Old Oregon Boy Dies After Accidentally Shooting Himself with Gun

Should Parents Ban Realistic Toy Guns?

Experts advise against buying toy guns that make them feel uncomfortable. However, experts warn parents not to forbid toy guns entirely, Parents noted. Why so? Educator Jane Katch revealed that the act of banning could make playing toy guns even more desirable. 

A better option would be to have kids use their imagination in making their own pretend guns. There should also be ground rules like not pointing them at others and not bringing them to school, at an online class, or in public. Parents also need to remind their children that play guns may be mistaken for the real thing. As such, there could be tragic consequences that can be fatal even for a child. 

ALSO READ: A 9-Year-Old Student Was Suspended, Teacher Reported Seeing Him With a BB Gun During Virtual Class

Realistic Play Guns Can Lead to Real Danger 

Edmonton Police previously launched a campaign to build awareness about the safe use of imitation guns to reduce incidents that would require police response.

Police are reminding parents and children that it can be hard to tell a fake gun from a real gun especially when an imitation gun is brought out in public. The details on a realistic toy gun can be indistinguishable from a real one. Police identified the following as imitation guns:

• Toy guns

• Replica guns

• Prop guns

• Airsoft guns

• BB guns

• Pellet guns

• Paintball guns

The police will respond to reports of the use of firearms with seriousness and thus can lead to police shootings, serious injuries, and, unfortunately, in some cases, even death. There are currently over a thousand cases of weapons complaints involving imitation guns.

Consequences that follow can include seizing the gun,  herring fined, charged, or even arrested. Schools also generally disapprove of bringing toy guns to school.  Kids can get suspended when they are found carrying a toy gun, even to an online class on Zoom or Google Hangouts.