Ferguson police confiscate realistic replica rifle from teen, issue warning to parents
By Alexis Zotos
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FERGUSON, Missouri (KMOV) — Ferguson Police want parents to be aware of an alarming trend of teenagers getting their hands on realistic-looking weapons.
“At first glance, they look pretty similar,” explained Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle of the two weapons. One a police-issued AR-15 rifle, the other a very similar-looking airsoft rifle.
The airsoft rifle was taken from a teenage shoplifting suspect this week. Officers found it in his backpack. If he had used it to commit a crime, there could be punishment, but possessing the gun is not a crime.
“We received a phone call for a similar incident. An individual walking with a replica gun past one of our schools. So you can imagine the panic that was set in,” he said.
Doyle says parents need to be aware of what their teens are doing. Real guns or fake, both can lead to deadly encounters.
“It’s difficult at first glance to know if a weapon is real or fake,” said Doule. “[Police] have to make a split-second decision.”
A search on Amazon will find numerous realistic-looking airsoft and BB weapons.
They can be delivered in a matter of days to homes in Missouri, but in Illinois, they can’t be delivered. Illinois has stricter laws surrounding airsoft rifles, including that they cannot be purchased or possessed by those under 18 unless under the supervision of a parent.
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