North Bay sheriff warning community after student found with toy gun
(KRON) — The Marin County Sheriff’s Office is warning the community of the dangers of carrying toy water guns that resemble real firearms after responding to an incident Tuesday involving high school students.
Deputies were alerted to a report of a suspicious person with a firearm at a residence in the Marin area on Tuesday, MCSO said. Responding authorities determined that the incident was related to a student game called “Senior Assassin Challenge.” In the game, students shoot toy water guns at each other.
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“Nationwide, it appears various police agencies are encountering juveniles displaying toy water guns in public places which resemble real firearms,” according to a public advisory statement from the sheriff’s office. Many of these uneasy encounters are connected to the “Senior Assassin Challenge” game.
The imitation toy water gun located by Marin County deputies. (Photo: Marin County Sheriff’s Office) (Photo: Marin County Sheriff’s Office) (Photo: Marin County Sheriff’s Office)
“While the criminal violation for displaying this type of water gun is relatively minor,” the sheriff’s office said, making note that the offense is an infraction, “the implications of mistaking this weapon as real are significant and could lead to serious injury or death.”
The Marin County Sheriff’s Office advised parents to inform their children of the dangers and seriousness of this behavior. “There are many other ways to spend time pulling pranks and having fun in your senior year than using imitation firearms,” MCSO said.
In October 2013, 13-year-old Andy Lopez was shot and killed by Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Erick Gelhaus as Lopez was reportedly walking in public with an airsoft BB gun designed to resemble an AK-47 rifle. Gelhaus would be cleared of all charges in the fatal shooting.
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