ST. LOUIS 鈥 Police on Tuesday warned of an increase in incidents involving kids and teens firing airsoft and gel blaster guns at unsuspecting members of the public.
While these are toys used for play, 50度灰视频 police Sgt. Charles Wall noted that they often look like real guns and, because of that, might lead someone to fire back with a real gun.
鈥淭he possibility of somebody responding to a perceived threat with deadly force is very real,鈥 Wall said. 鈥淎nd certainly with the gun laws being what they are, many individuals are lawfully allowed to possess concealed carry firearms and address what they perceive to be a threat to themselves or someone else.鈥
Much like airsoft guns, gel blasters 鈥 also commonly referred to as Gel Ball blasters or Gelsoft guns 鈥 shoot soft, spherical water beads using a spring-loaded air pump or gas canister. While in certain circumstances they can injure a person, they鈥檙e generally thought to be safer than airsoft or paintball guns.
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The warning from 50度灰视频 police came a day after officers broke up two groups of teenagers firing gel blasters at each other around 9 p.m. downtown near Sixth and Locust streets. Officers found three 16-year-olds and a 19-year-old with gel blaster guns. One teen had several Roman candles fireworks.
One of the 16-year-olds was taken to juvenile detention for a probation violation, police said. The other two minors were picked up by their guardians, and the 19-year-old was released while police investigated.
鈥淲hile this specific incident might not be criminal in nature 鈥 juveniles allegedly shooting one another 鈥 we have had recent incidents involving both gel blasters, as well as airsoft BB pellet guns (where minors are) indiscriminately targeting individuals that are not taking any part in any type of what might be considered play or 鈥榡ust kids being kids,鈥欌 Wall said.
The sergeant noted there may be some sort of social media challenge driving some people to shoot at pedestrians.
This is not the first incident involving the gel blasters in the past few weeks.
A June 22 showing of 鈥淚nside Out 2鈥 at an AMC movie theater in Creve Coeur turned into a harrowing experience for a theater full of families when a masked boy stood up toward the end of the movie and fired a gel blaster gun into the crowd.
That followed a June 19 news conference during which Wall said city police were investigating reports of at least five reports that month of people randomly shooting airsoft guns at pedestrians.
There have been no reported injuries in any of the incidents that city police responded to last month.
Wall said children and parents should be smart about where they play with the toy guns 鈥 suggesting private property such as backyards and parks 鈥渨here it鈥檚 evident鈥 that a group of people are playing together with the guns.
鈥淎nd certainly if that鈥檚 the type of activity that you鈥檙e engaged in, you shouldn鈥檛 be driving a vehicle down the street shooting at innocent bystanders walking down the street,鈥 Wall said.