Shooting of Eighth-Grader Highlights Danger of Realistic Pellet Guns
Local police warn parents, students of lethal consequences of modified pellet guns
Avon Lake Police are using the tragic killing by Texas police of an eighth-grader holding a pellet gun and an incident in Miller Road Park to highlight the dangers of taking toy guns—including pellet guns--in public. On Jan. 5, Brownsville, TX student 15-year-old Jaime Gonzalez was shot to death by two police officers while in school after brandishing a carbon-dioxide powered .177-caliber pellet gun that resembled a real pistol. The shooting was ruled justified when the teen was warned to put down the gun and did not comply. The Texas shooting elicited strong reactions, but Avon Lake Lt. Sean Bockelman said had the incident occurred here, it probably would have had the same result. “We have to treat it as a real gun,” Bockelman said. If …
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Nick B. Fernando
9:38 pm on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
We need to keep guns OUT of our schools! I don't care if it's a pellet fun, real gun or a potato gun! more ›