11-Year-Old Arrested For Using Rubber Band Gun

mangalorean.com ^ | 06/06/07 | mangalorean.com

[TornadoAlley3]

11-Year-Old Arrested For Using Rubber Band Gun OCOEE (Florida), June 7: An 11-year-old Ocoee boy was arrested for playing with a toy gun. Police said the arrest was necessary, because it was a safety issue.

The boy was using a rubber band gun and his father said the kid did nothing wrong, but police said they take it as a serious threat and the 11-year-old is facing felony charges.

The crime isn't very common, but Ocoee police said it is serious. It centers on an 11-year0old boy and his toy short-barreled shotgun.

The incident started Sunday afternoon, when the 11-year-old was riding in his dad's pickup near Clarke Road and White Road in Ocoee. Someone driving nearby called police after they said the boy pointed what looked like a real gun out the window. The victim told police she was afraid for her life.

"With that type of behavior, it's hard to tell if it's a real gun or not, especially in their car," said Sgt. Randy Conyers, Ocoee Police Department.

But, according to the charging affidavit, the 11-year-old's dad said nothing was wrong with what his son had done and that he used to do it as a kid. The boy even told police he was pretending to be a cop and thought the victims were laughing with him.

The gun itself only fires rubber bands and was checked into evidence. Police didn't comment on the weapon's color or release any images. Still, the victims said they were frightened and, police said, toy or no toy, the charges are justified.

Eyewitness News spoke to the father of the suspect on the phone. He said his son is out of juvenile detention and that a judge told him the case would be dropped. He also confirmed that the gun was black, but that it looked more like a stick than a gun.

[Centurion2000]

The boy was using a rubber band gun and his father said the kid did nothing wrong, but police said they take it as a serious threat and the 11-year-old is facing felony charges.

Then these cops are freaking cowards.

[Clam Digger]

If he were a 16 year old illegal immigrant gang banger who just killed a granny with a hangun with the serial numbers scratched off, he’d be in less trouble.

[ExcursionGuy84]

Having a fake firearm pinted black was not the smart thing....but sticking the “barrel”
out the window of a vehicle in motion was definitely

[JerriBlank]

“The dad is a putz and should be the one facing charges.”

Uh... for what?

[No Blue States]

“”With that type of behavior, it’s hard to tell if it’s a real gun or not, especially in their car,” said Sgt. Randy Conyers, Ocoee Police Department.”

Randy needs to have this rubber band gun cracked over his head for being an imbecile.

[darkangel82]

Mass stupidity.

[henkster]

An 11 year old? Arrested? Rubber band gun?

Common sense is no longer common, it is extinct.

[RedMonqey]

Correction: Someone driving nearby called police after they said the boy pointed what looked like a real gun out the window. The victim told police she was afraid for her life.

Victim?

Someone this stupid shouldn't be out on their OWN much less driving.

[MrEdd]

The dad cop is a putz and should be the one facing charges.

Fixed it.

[Oberon]

Only a complete fool would think so and a cop who would arrest a young child for this is beyond stupid.

What's of greater concern is that a cop might shoot the kid out of a mistaken belief the kid was pointing a real gun at him.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

These cops have way too much time on their hands.

[desherwood7]

Are the cops in Florida getting that paranoid?

[300magnum]

[expatguy]

Here is the technology needed to make a REAL WMD

rubbing alchohol + tennis ball + tennis ball can

[johnny7]

Meanwhile... his counterpart in Gaza is assembling an IED wearing a blindfold... to the praise of his parents.

[MrEdd]

The eleven year old is the victim, not the bitter woman. ">

[HungarianGypsy]

Wow! My 7 year old has a read old fashioned looking rubber band gun that he likes to take almost everywhere.

Maybe the police could have given the boy a lecture if they felt inclined to do so, but to arrest him?

[henkster]

I agree with you 100%. When I was a kid it was common for 6-10 of us kids to round up the pellet & BB guns and go over to the abandoned gravel pit and shoot whatever we wanted.

If my kids did that now, the SWAT team would be called, the kids would be taken to juvenile detention, branded as “terrorists” and tried in adult court.

In the meantime, real terrorists and criminals come and go freely through our open borders while our politicians facilitate it. Unbelievable.

[the_daug]

The dad is a putz and should be the one facing charges.

What! That's as loony as the cops. They sale those ruber band shooters at many tourist stops.

[NonValueAdded]

NO, you broke it. Read the story again, not just the headline. Yes, it was a rubber band "gun," therefore non-lethal (but you could put your eye out). But have you seen what is manufactired these days for toy guns? The article says it was shotgun shaped. I've seen them, they can look real. THE KID WAS POINTING IT AT OTHER VEHICLES. THE DAD WAS A PUTZ FOR LETTING THE KID DO THAT. The cop didn't just happen to see a kid playing in his yard doing the old cowboys and indians thing of our youth. They got a 911 call from motorist who had what looked like a gun pointed at her. Would you let your kid do that in this day and age? Then you'd be a putz too.