Davie Florida toy gun lockdown
Courtesy Davie Police Department
Davie toy gun
The fearsome weapon that shocked Davie, Florida (courtesy Davie Police Department)

Keep in mind that this happened in Florida. Broward County, Florida.

The lockdown (of three college campuses) lasted for nearly three hours, until almost midnight.

That’s when police say they found the man. He was walking along Stirling Road, far from the campuses. He was carrying a large black umbrella under one arm, a plastic shotgun in his hand.

It was yellow, orange and green.

The man, who police say is 60, matched the student’s description. He had a white beard and was wearing a gray sweater. He said he was on College Avenue earlier but he never pointed the toy gun at anyone, according to police.

Police did not arrest the man or release his name.

But they did seize his toy as evidence.

– Michelle Marchante in He was walking with a toy gun. It put 3 college campuses on lockdown, police say

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116 COMMENTS

    • Evidence of the stupidity of a County and State political system that would re-instate a proven coward and Socialist Democrat operative like Scott Israel.

      • Right again. This gentleman with the yellow plastic shotgun did NOTHING wrong. These buffoons in Floriday just revealed their innate stupidity.

        • The state has to keep the sheep scared and the kids indoctrinated. When a toy gun and popping balloons send people into a panic, the deep state and terror have already won.

        • We see fearmongering like this out of California all the time. The fact that this happened in Florida is very concerning.

        • arc: But is such stupidity indicative of the left having won? Or is it their end? Just the death rattles of a bunch of lunatics that know the bell is tolling for them? Is the glass really half empty? Or is it half full instead?

        • Broward County may be in Florida geographically but it’s got one of the largest concentrations of *those who aren’t allowed to be named on this board* in the country.

      • “that would re-instate a proven coward and Socialist Democrat operative like Scott Israel.”

        There’s recent news on that, and it’s not a done deal he will be back :

        “The Senate Rules Committee will take up the case on Oct. 21 and offer a recommendation about whether Israel should be reinstated. On Oct. 23, the full Senate will meet in a special session and is expected to vote on whether Israel should get his job back.”

        “But the hearing puts senators — particularly South Florida Democrats — in an uncomfortable position.

        They’re forced to choose between the families of the Parkland victims, who have vilified Israel, and Goodlette, a highly respected former lawmaker, as well as Israel, an elected official who remains popular in Broward, a Democratic stronghold.”

        https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/fl-ne-nsf-parkland-parents-back-desantis-scott-israel-case-20191004-3zakvdfv2jdtdjwuo3i2glvwqy-story.html

        There is now a full-court press on the individual state Senators to vote “No” in that session by the parents of some of those killed kids.

        I’ll be very surprised if he gets his job back…

    • Evidence of stupid reporter who flunked 5th grade English. Howz about usin’ a NOR sumwhere. We all make mistakes, but if you’re writing in a newspaper, you should know better. (No, I wasn’t an English major. The nuns beat it into us. )

    • Wait, let me get this straight…an innocent man carrying a legal toy that’s clearly and visually different from anything lethal is minding his own business, and LEOs show up to confiscate his property based solely upon the faulty report of an unknown anonymous witness?

      Something’s been omitted from this article, methinks. The cops could easily have taken photographs to close the “case” and allow everyone to get back to their lives.

      • Just speculating here but I’m thinking that the man is probably an uber socialist who is trying to stir up panic among the civilian population. Worked too.

        • Actually I wish I had thought of it. There’s nothing that would make my day better than knowing I caused dozens of leftist heads to explode, by carrying a toy gun.

          Lets make Monday “Carry a colorful toy gun day”! All conservatives need to carry a colorful toy gun all day with them.

      • I think they are going to red flag him and go take away all pop tarts, rubber bands, nerf balls, and all Scooby snacks.

        • “…and all Scooby snacks.”

          Scooby Snacks are NOT weapons of mass destruction! They are victims! VICTIMS, I TELL YA! They get eaten to death by slobbering children who don’t know how to play with guns, and by their juvenile fathers who don’t know what a “thing that goes up” is.

    • Evidence of exactly what is a truly excellent question, one which “the authorities” should be pressed hard to answer, in the plainest of Plain English

    • How about evidence in a case of assault?

      The original caller who saw the man near the campus reported that he had pointed the toy rifle at her. That’s assault, because it’s a reasonably believed threat, even if the rifle was a toy. At night, from across a parking lot, under those unnaturally colored street lights, the colors of the rifle may not be all that clear. It’s shape could very well be clear, however, as was proven when the police caught up with the man and he was indeed carry a rifle, albeit a toy version.

      From the original article, the man denied having pointed the rifle at her. So it’s he said/she said, as MANY crimes are, just as MANY misunderstandings are. The guy wasn’t charged, but evidence was seized and a report was written. He can retrieve it later and go play midnight squirt gun war then.

      By the way, what kind of 60 year old man goes traipsing about late at night, walking where there are no sidewalks, and carrying a toy rifle? I get it: it’s not a crime and we can concoct a million harmless scenarios to explain his behavior. Still, it’s weird.

      Look, I bet he probably just adjusted the umbrella and/or toy he was carrying at the same time she saw him and she misinterpreted the movement. Or it could be that he’s a wise ass who thought he’d spook a snowflake for a cheap laugh. Really, anything is possible and virtually nothing is provable.

      What is predictable and annoying is the default smugness with which the POTG automatically assume everyone else but themselves is an overwrought, over reacting idiot. That’s on the back end of what turns out to be nothing, of course. On the back end of what turns out to be a spree shooting, they switch it up and everyone is quick to criticize that obvious warning signs were incompetently missed.

      Good F’ing grief. Get over yourselves.

      • “By the way, what kind of 60 year old man goes traipsing about late at night, walking where there are no sidewalks, and carrying a toy rifle?”

        How about a big game hunter wannabe stalking the elusive “Water Buffalo”
        Or a diligent defender of the US of A, protecting the rest of us by stalking an insurgent Native American terrorist, and he was following the tracks left by the water moccasins.

    • No kidding. It’s getting [pretty bad when we have to be afraid to carry a toy in public, especially when it looks like a toy.

    • This man must be punishing & realize his sin he’s carrying a snowflake assault weapon it’s bright and colorful it’s meant only to shoot leftist liberal snowflakes, and Democrat socialist anti-American anti Constitution politicians,

  2. The students who reported that should be expelled. They definitely don’t need to be in school.

    Sounds like he did nothing wrong. “he pointed the gun at her” so what it’s a toy. That does not shoot anything painful and if he did it would just be a public disturbance or something or at worst, aaat worst assault but he didn’t do anything but gesture.

  3. You have to love toy companies that are still producing guns, when real gun manufacturers are succumbing to slimy progressive pressure.

  5. What? They didn’t arrest the grandpa for carrying a toy? And an umbrella, black one, no less? Incredible! At least they stole his plastic toy. That will teach him.

        • Ah ha! That was his mistake! He should have been carrying a toy fishing rod, also. “But Officer, I am just on my way to the water to catch some fish.”

        • @enuf, I almost got a peanut stuck down my windpipe. That fish is awesome!
          A few members Florida Carry recently went fishing in Miami Beach while legally open carrying. Seems MBPD does not know Florida law and things did not go well. http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/florida-carry-sues-miami-beach-over-police-action-against-legally-armed-fishermen
          They did it a second time months later without incident.
          They might not be able to distinguish a toy rod and a toy fish from the real thing any better than a toy shotgun.
          A few months ago I was fishing behind my home off of a public road while open carrying a very large fishing knife on my belt. The cops showed up a few times, looked me over but never said anything. Seems even a fishing knife gets them nervous even though I was actually fishing and catching fish. With conditions lately, that last fact is probably what made me look suspicious, I was actually landing (and releasing) fish.

  7. This seems to make the argument for open carry.

    1. People would see real guns, carried peacefully and in accordance with the law.
    2. People woul learn how to identify what lawful, peaceful carry looks like.
    3. People would learn to distinguish between lawful, peaceful carry of real guns and such crazed, maniacal, brandishing of brightly colored toy guns.

  8. This story shows how successful was the brainwashing campaign against firearms that Eric Holder called for. How deep have we fallen…

  9. Figures this might happen in Broward. Such a bunch of twiddlebrains there now. Afraid of everything.
    Evidence of what?? They better return his toy or Id expect a large law suit.

    • Ha.. my high school shop class had a 3 week session on basic gun maintenance. It was just before deer season, so for weeks every day you would see dozens of kids walking into school with rifles slung… there was a prohibition against being loaded, though you could keep ammo in your locker for target/hunting after school hours.. this was in the 80’s.. so much has changed.

      • Back in the early 60s. We, a lot of kids anyway. Would bring our single shot 22s to school. Leave them and ammo in the principles office. So we could rabbit and squirrel hunt on the way home after school.
        Want to talk about changing times. This was on Long Island. Try this today kids.

      • Similar here in the 80s. I remember in middle school some guys making gun racks in woodshop who would bring their rifles in for measuring. Most were pellet or BB guns, maybe a .22lr here or there, and I don’t recall anyone openly carrying down the hallways.

        It was all confined to shop class. Still, none of that would fly today. I doubt you can even build a gun rack, anymore, without getting suspended and investigated.

      • My lessons only included basic safety, never got my hands on a real gun until my deranged uncle gave me one. Guess which uncle..

  12. Isn’t this the same county whose sheriff’s department hid for their lives outside a school while children were being murdered inside?

    • Why yes it is but evidently they have it down pat regarding brightly colored toys and senior citizens.

    • This was to redeem their image after being considered cowards and show how brave they were approaching an armed suspect with a “rifle…”

      This seems similar to the “Operation Weapons Sweep” certain UK police agencies did in early 2018 where they posted images on Instagram of screwdrivers and scissors ✂️ they took off the streets!

  13. I see people walking around open carrying firearms of all kinds all the time in MS. NO. BIG. DEAL.

    FL ought to just go ahead and sink already.

    • (FL ought to just go ahead and sink already.)
      Does the phrase “go fuck yourself” sound familiar… I’m sure nothing stupid EVER happens in Ms. You must be very proud to live in such an illustrious and intellectual place. I’d consider moving there but I’m afraid I might lower those HIGH standards you folks seem to be enjoying so I guess I’ll just stay here in Fl. and wait for the bitch to sink…

      • I ordered a new Coast Guard approved “personal flotation device” (life vest) as I ordered my ballot for the next election.
        In MS, you should be thinking you might be underwater around the same time. So, I would not be so smug; this used to be the “Gunshine State” at one time not very long ago and we used to make Texas jealous.

    • Gunny, born and raised in Florida. My dad was from Mississippi. My mom’s family homesteaded here and my dad’s family homsteaded in Mississippi. I guess I have a foot in both states. I’m a true child of the Deep South. Like anywhere good and bad in both. Although, I have to admit South Florida makes me scratch my head.

    • Florida is a swiss cheese state, its riddled with sink holes that open up all over. It just might sink.

  14. Something MUST be done. This epidemic of stupidity must be addressed with knee-jerk legislation that accomplishes nothing but inconveniencing people with IQs over 40 and make for a nice photo op for self serving politicians, but something MUST be done. This cannot be tolerated.

    • Gov., come one this is the first time Broward County stepped up to the plate and confiscated a “firearm” in an effort to stop a “potential” school shooting. Baby steps, it takes baby steps. Just like some practice with “blue guns” and rubber knives. Eventually BSO might actually respond to something like an unloaded firearm in an actual treat and if we cross our fingers they might actually get the nerves one day to stop a real active shooter.
      Oh, what? What did you say? They are going to reinstate Israel? Really? Oh well just as I was hoping they might actually save a life one day.
      Please give the man his gaudy colored shotgun back! He was brave to make such a colorful fashion statement.

  15. So while all of law enforcement was chasing after a non-crime, how many real crimes were being committed on the other side of town? It seems like the children who cried wolf should carry some responsibility for this.

  16. Don’t forget about Andy Lopez…shot to death by police for carrying an Airsoft rifle (AK 47 look alike) in California back in 2015.

    https://www.foxnews.com/us/toy-gun-was-pointing-toward-deputies-before-13-year-old-was-shot-and-killed-report-says

    This Florida man’s motive for wandering about with the toy “shotgun” may not be clear, but luckily the Florida Cops did not conclude it was a real shotgun painted in clown color camouflage and start shooting on sight. The CA Cops yelled at Andy Lopez to “drop the gun”, then shot fatally when the child did not comply promptly enough (supposedly, the kid fumbled around with the “gun”, which caused the Cops to think he was attempting to engage them with it and justified their opening fire).

    There are probably several “lessons to be learned” from all this, but I’ll go with: If U.S. “gun control laws” were what the SHOULD be (non-existent), then Andy Lopez may possibly just have celebrated his 17th birthday and the guy in Florida wouldn’t have caused a commotion fabricated by college-age morons.

    • The Lopez thing was quite different. I lived in Santa Rosa when this happened. Gangs routinely use kids to do murders, just give them a gun and point them at a target. The ‘toy gun’ was actually a very accurate in appearance non-firing replica ak. The kid also had a replica hand gun visibly stuffed into his belt, gangsta style. All witnesses say the cops repeatedly told him to drop the gun, but the kid pointed it at them, or at least started to.
      The only issue was the cops did a mag drop on him after he was down. It is assumed he was still twitching.

    • There is a big difference between not pointing something at anyone, pointing something at someone and pointing anything at a cop. It is irrelevant if the pointed thingy could be interpreted as something more dangerous. Does not matter if the circus camo can’t eject anything more lethal than Nerf projectiles, had it been pointed at a cop, things might have ended differently in Florida too.
      After all what is to stop someone with criminal intent from copying this toy gun color scheme on their real shotgun?

  18. Pretty much anything to avoid going to or holding classes. A water main break. AC failure. A cloud in front of the sun. This was SOP when I was in high school in the mid 70s.

  19. Omg.. I just had a thought… I was running around my front yard last weekend, using my bug-a-salt with laser targeting, taking out wasps.. if I had been carrying an umbrella too, I could a been killed..

    • Nah, you would have been fine. You weren’t just a guy with a gun, you were an active shooter since you were actively engaging the wasps. ALL schools and businesses would have been on lockdown, but this is Broward County. They don’t engage active shooters. Cruz can testify to that! ☹️

      • Well I am in one of the few red parts of cali.. well, sorta purplish at least.. I moved here because statistically, there is a higher chance of getting a ccw… still working on that, you have to ‘know’ the right people.. shooting clubs, sherrif related volunteer things, etc… I know, move out of state.. easy to say from people with no ties..

        • “I know, move out of state.. easy to say from people with no ties..”

          Freedom and Liberty are hard. I know this because the Second Amendment is not the first, last and only issue of importance in my life. A harsh reading of the constitution demands that any time the politics of the majority of voters in my state don’t put absolute fidelity to the constitution ahead of any other political matter, I must uproot, at whatever cost, and move to a state where the entire constitution is exercised in its strictest sense. The reality is, no such state exists.

          If I put the Second Amendment ahead of every other political, personal and family interest, would that not be an admission that warping, twisting, destroying all the other protected rights is OK, just so long as the Second Amendment is not restricted in any way? That I will remain in place if the law would punish me for not using a favored word, but not if there is a singe restriction on my “gun rights”?

          Militarily, there is a case to be made for consolidating forces in strong points, versus isolated outposts that are easily overrun. Losing those many outposts deprives the main force of capability needed in strong points to begin to turn back the enemy. Personally, things are not so clear. My particular circumstance is that of a 2A absolutist trapped in the reality of reality.

  22. very clear, the migration of new york panicky fools has turned the peaceful state of florida into a panicky group of knee-jerk liberal communists with bad eye-sight.. remember===YOU CAN FIX BROKEN, BUT YOU CAN NOT FIX STUPID..===

    • So do my daughters. I make sure grandma and her sharpshooting sisters (they competed he. high through college target shooting) interact with them.

      Shesh… When my girls have 4+ friends over, I have to step in to make sure the safety glasses are on! Then game on!

  25. When you work for government, one must provide proof that one is not just spending the day/shift surfing the net. Collecting artifacts to associate with the parameters of the job, or just reporting about the parameters of your job is considered good cover, and justification for continuing in your position.

  26. Florida Toy Gun Man is very lucky that the po-po didn’t unload on him. How can cops tell the difference between a toy gun and a real gun when they can’t tell the difference between a gun and a wallet?

  27. Ha, I had one of those a long time ago.

    Pretty neat, really. You load the darts into the shells, break it open and slide em in.

    Depending on hard you pull the trigger, it would fire both barrels, or just one, then the second with an additional trigger pull.

    When you break it open again, it ejects the shells.

    One of the coolest off brand nerf guns I’ve handled.

  28. When a brightly colored toy gun, or maybe even a cane or walking stick triggers a bunch of Liberal Snowflakes, the Country is in bad shape.

  29. Just a “common sense” response to this that, upon reading this, my impression is that this was just some sort of publicity stunt to either make a pro-2A or anti-2A statement and/or this guy is a lonely senior who just wants (any) attention. Whatever reason it was, he got his expected attention. Why would you think he allowed the “confiscation” of the toy? That said, what should have the police response been (if any)? I agree with what MB experienced when he was a kid: have a local cop stop and check it out, call in that’s its a toy, let the man go on his way, no big deal. +

    • It probably was one of those James Bond full auto umbrellas and Florida Toy Shotgun Man is laughing all night long that the confiscated his toy shotgun and let him walk with his NFA umbrella.

  31. FWIW, the issue seems to have been that the man had allegedly pointed the (toy) gun at a student earlier that night.

    From the linked story:

    “A student at Florida Atlantic University was leaving the parking lot off College Avenue late Thursday night when she thought she saw a man with a rifle, according to Davie police…. He was walking on a nearby swale. His rifle had an orange stock on it….He then pointed the gun at her. She sped off and called police.”

    “….when police say they found the man. He was walking along Stirling Road, far from the campuses… He said he was on College Avenue earlier but he never pointed the toy gun at anyone, according to police.”

    I’m wondering if this is just a case of a homeless guy who’s a bit “off”? I can’t imagine too many 60 year olds wandering around at midnight with a toy shotgun.

  33. And never pick out a BB gun off the shelve at Wally World,,, probably won’t make to the cash register,,, it will be one 911 call away from a meeting with the maker.

  34. Just a reminder to any CT college students who read this.

    There is no prohibition of guns on college campuses in CT statute.

    So unless you signed something acknowledging that you understand guns can’t come on campus, are told by a member of staff or faculty, or the building is market, you are free to bring guns on campus in CT.

    I’d suggest concealed for obvious reasons.

    This is the only law on CT books relating to guns and school. Note it says, primary and secondary (high school).

    DFCT

  37. Thanks again to the MSM for terrorizing the public into thinking they are imminent danger of being shot. And thanks again to Broward County’s finest for confiscating a toy.

  38. Bonehead cops. The toy is not evidence since there was no crime. They just seized his legal personal property. If they had a concern for their report, they could have easily taken photos and attached it as supplementary info.

    This is a silly non-event in a hyper-sensitive public environment.

    Based on its “totality of the circumstances”, it didn’t warrant any action if screened properly through police dispatch.

    At best, dispatch puts it out as “information only” to units in the area, just in case. What a F’n joke and a waste of valuable resources.

    Thank God I’m retired from having to respond to BS from moronic citizens.

  40. I work at a college in Broward County, and attend another University here as well. Received alert texts the other night about this. Was also posted in my group chat for work. One of the alerts about the lockdown stated that there was a “reported man with gun” on campus. Within my group chat from work this immediately turned into “there was a shooting on Davie campus”. lol

  41. Scott Israel: If plastic and toys were weapons and noise then O. J. Simpson wouldn’t need a new pair of gloves.

    Jake Tapper: I don’t know what that means.

    Scott Israel: Case closed.

  42. “he never pointed the toy gun at anyone, according to police.”

    In New Jersey, that’s no excuse — he still would have been arrested and prosecuted for a felony.
    New Jersey has a 4th Degree crime (a felony charge) called “Unlawful possession of an imitation firearm,” and they throw the book at people who violates it, even with something that’s clearly not a real gun and is never pointed at anyone!
    I am not kidding, and neither are the NJ police and prosecutors who terrorize honest citizens by locking them up for this non-crime that’s a crime in New Jersey.

    Don’t ask me how I know this.

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