The dangers of air soft guns - AmericaNowNews.com

The dangers of air soft guns

Air soft guns are pretty popular with kids - they can be found at retail stores and flea markets.

You can also see kids playing with them on Youtube, where they're doing exactly what they aren't supposed to do with them - shooting each other. But there is another danger.

"They look like the real thing, from a distance, or even so many feet, you wouldn't know it was not a real gun," says Captain Shelia Lingle of the Salisbury Police Department.

A student at a school in the Salisbury, North Carolina area brought one of the guns with him to school. Other students saw it and did the right thing - they told the school resource officer. The gun was taken, and the child was suspended.

"Children seeing this in class, on the bus, wherever, to them it's a real gun," said Captain Lingle.

The makers of the guns are aware that there is real danger in perception. The box even has a strong warning about having these guns out in public where they can create confusion.

The BB's used in these guns are softer than the traditional type, but they are still intended for adults who wear protective clothing because they can cause injury.

According to Federal law, any gun like these must have an orange tube on the end - that's how you know it's not a real gun. But some kids are taking the tip off or are painting it black to make the gun look more realistic.

Copyright 2011 America Now. All rights reserved.

  • Most Popular StoriesMost Popular Stories

  • Every 19 minutes, someone dies from a prescription painkiller overdose. In fact, the number of painkiller overdose deaths in the US now exceeds the number of deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.
    Every 19 minutes, someone dies from a prescription painkiller overdose. In fact, the number of painkiller overdose deaths in the US now exceeds the number of deaths from heroin and cocaine combined. America Now goes inside the epidemic!
  • A recent investigation revealed telemarketers and direct-mail companies sometimes receive 90 percent or more of the money people donate to charities.
    A recent investigation revealed telemarketers and direct-mail companies sometimes receive 90 percent or more of the money people donate to charities. The non-profit organizations end up with just pennies on the dollar raised through solicitation campaigns, and it's all legal. 
  • There's no cure for the flu or common cold yet, but there are some really effective ways to protect yourself from them.  In fact, it turns out one of the most powerful cold and flu fighters isn't a medicine
    There's no cure for the flu or common cold yet, but there are some really effective ways to protect yourself from them.
Powered by WorldNow
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and America Now. All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.