What part of TX is Carrollton located?

CARROLLTON, Texas, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- The Carrollton City Council has restricted the possession of realistic toy guns in public after a recent scare in which a police officer mistook a replica gun held by a child for the real thing.

An amended firearms ordinance unanimously approved by the council Tuesday night would prohibit the possession of the toy guns by minors and make it illegal for anybody to use them in a way that could cause public alarm. It takes effect immediately.

Police said the ordinance is aimed at replica guns patterned after real firearms used by the police and the military. They often shoot plastic pellets and some models are designed for use in paintball games and other war games as sport.

Carrollton Police Chief David James said the fear is that such a gun carried outside the home or yard by a child could be mistaken for a real gun and lead to a tragedy.

"We'd like to remove both the possibility of somebody else shooting that person or the police shooting that person as a mistake," James told The Dallas Morning News.

A recent scare in neighboring Coppell raised concern with Carrollton officials. A police officer spotted a child carrying what he thought was a real gun but after a short chase discovered it was a toy replica that shoots plastic pellets. No one was injured.

James also said officers have confiscated replica guns from minors recently after they were used to intimidate other children.

The ordinance has drawn objections from some gun owners.

James Dark, executive director of the Texas State Rifle Association, said Carrollton's weapons ordinance has been misused.

"In its amended form, this ordinance is a significant cause of concern to us as an organization and indeed will be to many gun owners," he said.

Copyright © 2002 United Press International

[url]http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20021120-115828-7748r[/url]

Considering that this IS Texas and adults there ARE allowed to carry firearms AND they have extreamly liberal use of force laws, this might very well be a good idea.

Naturally it will not keep kids from doing this, but it WILL reduce the chances of legal action against someone who makes a honest mistake and shoots a kid. Or, more likely, when a kid gets himslef shot for using a real looking toy to terrorize someone for kicks. The existance of such a ordinance would make it harder to sue for wrongful death.

Possibly an airsoft?  

awhile back a teen pulled an airsoft on a lady in Austin.  HE got probation, community service, and a gun safety course.  When he went to gun safety it was taught by a guy I know.  The guy asked the kid "do you know what wouldve happened if you pulled that shit on me?" he then pulled his 45 from his IWB holster and said, "  You wouldnt have known cause I would of shot your ass on site.  This is a good call to pull the replicas....

Wait just one fucking second - I can't believe I'm hearing this.

20, 30, 40 years ago kids ran around all the time with pretty damn realistic looking toy guns and no one ever shot them.  I think the problem is with cops on the edge and civilians who are so damn afraid of inanimate objects that they pull this crap hoping it will somehow solve the problem.

Yep.. it was an airsoft Sig P220.  I read an article about the incident a little while ago.

My kids grew up with guns in the house and were not allowed to have "toy guns".  We went out to the range when they were young and we had fun with "real guns".  I taught them that guns were not toys.  I never had any problems with them getting into my guns with my permission, which the never did.

Bobwrench

so if you get assaulted by someone at night saying that they are going to shoot you and give them all your shit and you have a chance to defend yourself....you wouldnt according to your statement.  It can be pretty hard to tell the real from a fake at night especially when they paint the tips of the airsoft to match the gun.