9-year-old arrested for waving toy gun [arrested at gunpoint and handcuffed]

The Morning Journal ^ | 10-28-03 | The Morning Journal

[scouse]

A passer-by who saw the boy playing just before noon with a gun -- described by police as a black plastic toy gun -- called police,

The problem lies not in our stars but in ourselves. The passer-by should be sent to a re-education center and all his/her property confiscated and given to the homeless.

[grumple]

Has anyone seen that new show Reno 911. It's a hilarious spoof on "Cops". This sounds like a skit from that show.

[FreedomPoster]

Speaking of spoofs on Cops, have you seen Troops? It's hilarious, well worth the download.

Download here:
http://www.theforce.net/theater/shortfilms/troops/

[giotto]

In a sane world, I would say the officer was way out of line. But the reality is that the mother is partly to blame for allowing her child to take a spray painted toy gun into a public place. She should have realized that someone could mistake it for a real one. I know this sounds nuts, but if had been my kid, I would have told him to leave it at home.

[Jeff Head]

FYI. Hard to believe.

Understandable that they responded to a citizen's concern who may have thought a 9 year old had an actual weapon.

Completely beyond the pale how they handled it in approaching the child with guns drawn and trained on his head, and once they realized it was a plastic, toy gun. They should have given this kid a stern lecture, asked where his mom was and then had a talk with the mom returning the child to her.

[cricket]

"Saturday Night Live" could only improve upon this story by having two guys walk by the cops hauling away a cash register from the beauty parlor without a second glance from the cops as read the kid his rights."

This would be a funny scene; it surely would communicate the truth of the matter and the absurdity.

[LTCJ]

Follow the motive:
Zero tolerance means never having to say you're sorry "I think for a living".

[cricket]

"Why do you assume the action was "mindless", or "innocent"? Isn't it more likely that the whole point of these sorts of responses is to normalize hysterical overreaction to the mere sight of guns in the possession of anyone other than Government? You underestimate our enemies. "

Do not know where you read that I thought this action was innocent. Perhaps there was some confusion by my mentioning 'Barney' aka Barney Fife/Andy Griffith. . .as per Exit82's response/post#4). . .seems I accidentally dropped his name from the address box when I responded;so sorry if that was at least, part of the confusion.

Truth is, I do not underestimate any Liberal or the damning, slippery slope of Liberalism. . .

. . .as for referencing this action as 'mindless'; could be an 'effort'; but think for the most part, the Libs have already succeeded in their normalizing mindless. A quality surely necessary for the success of policies like 'Zero Tolerance'; and just as necessary for our abiding to the new rules for social discourse/behavior, put forth by the rules of 'Political Correctness'; now observed as a mindlessly, generic behavior response.

Another, more hopeful thought, maybe at least some of these outrageous responses that we read about, are designed to to do precisely this; not educate a community into Liberalism, or be a barmonter of it's success; but rather, these seemingly idiotic responses are purposely acted out as a 'wake-up call' and a warning; to our living a future in The World According to Liberals. . .

[harpseal]

I guess the next time I empty the gun locker to the picnic table in the back yard (enclosed by trees) for a mass wipe down and cleaning I need to be ready for the E'town SWAT team.

In CT the law is one may not carry a firearm in any way which alarms "The Public." In some towns this has been enforced so that a person cleaning a shotgun in his living room with the shades open was visited by the local PD becuase a person driving by saw a man with a gun in the house.

To me the person calling in the report should have been arrested as a peeping Tom but this was in one of the more "Liberal" communities.

[kaylar]

Love that show! Wish they had left in on Wednesdays, but anyway...You're right, this does read like something that buch would do.

[Middle Man]

Unbelievable. Like those "killers with badges" in Cooksville, Tennessee, who shot the little family pet while it was frolicking by the roadside, then perjured themselves to try to conceal the screw-up.

[beezdotcom]

Police Gone Wild. This is craziness. Sure you approach with caution when you aren't certain about a situation, but then you give 'em hell verbally.

Yep - you give the kid a scare, and leave it at that. And then you cite the mother for negligence or some such thing, because she let him carry a toy gun (altered to look real) into a public place. In this case, I think the kid should be reprimanded, and the cop AND the mother should both be fined.

I don't even let my kid take his toy rifle (with orange safety cap still attached) into the front yard, for fear of exactly this type of misunderstanding.

[therut]

People have gone crazy. While this story has nothing to do with toy guns it shows the ignorance of some people. A friend of mine had a dog that had surgery for a broken leg. The dog had a rod put in (It is temporary) and it sticks out from the ham mucles maybe 8 inches. Some dumb person called the police saying they had shot their dog with a bow and arrow and it was suffering running around with the arrow still stuck in it. No kidding and this in a small town in Arkansas. Geeesh.

[spunkets]

"At that point, Officer Joe Novosielski confronted the boy at gunpoint, ordering him to drop the gun and then lie on the ground, the report said."

The kid's 9 years old. This cop is a creep besides being incompetent.

[Travis McGee]

"Officer Friendly,

Here to Protect and to Serve."

[Guillermo]

Here's his email address (I'm pretty sure ;):

jnovosielski@neo.rr.com

[varon]

Isn't it more likely that the whole point of these sorts of responses is to normalize hysterical overreaction to the mere sight of guns in the possession of anyone other than Government?

I would think normalizing scenes where anyone, even children, are picked up off the streets and taken away. The article did say passersby were just shaking their heads as the cops with drawn weapons manhandled a 9 yr old boy. In some people's minds it would be grounds for immediate civil uprising.

[MamaTexan]

Here to Protect and to Serve

Shouldn't that be "Here to Collect and Observe"?
:p

[Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh]

"Tamyka"

Um, they SHOULD arrest him. A nine-year old boy with a gun is a danger. We have seen many stories and examples of young children attacking friends, school-mates, etc. The fact that he is nine is irrelevant in this day and age.

[Old Professer]

barmonter

Barometer?