I grew up in an anti-gun household. Thankfully, the anti-arms antipathy didn’t include toy guns. Playing with toy guns helped me explore issues central to my personal and social identity: good vs. evil, courage vs. cowardice, machine gun vs. lever gun, seeking cover vs. a full-frontal attack, etc. Dressing as a cowboy, soldier or secret agent for Halloween without a toy gun would have been like eating a hot fudge sundae without the hot fudge. Nowadays . . .
my daughter’s middle school made it a point to remind parents that “no weapons of any kind will be permitted in school for Halloween.” Not even an arched eyebrow? That said, the tragic case of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old shot playing with a toy gun shot and killed by Cleveland cops, certainly gives pause to worried parents.
That said, it’s Halloween for Christ’s sake (or not). Where’s the harm in skulking around the neighborhood dressed like a soldier, wielding a fake AK, checking out the neighbors’ valuables and security systems, extorting them for free candy?
If you have or had a kid, would you/will you let them carry a fake gun in pursuit of refined sugar and corn-syrup-infused treats?
If you let your kids go trick-or-treating without adult supervision, you shouldn’t have reproduced in the first place. No costumed kid is going to get shot by overzealous jackboots if they have an adult parent/relative walking with them. That said, I would discourage my kids from dressing up as soldiers or cops for Halloween. I did that for several years as a kid and looking back it seems really dorky. Monsters and ghosts are much better costumes for Halloween.
True. If the rugrat is “too big” for an escort they are “too big” to be shaking people for a handout. AND you don’t go to homes where you don’t personally know the residents by name.
A once fun kid thing has been demtardizes with welfare and degenerates
The fact that this question is being discussed, asked or responded too is a loss for liberty.
The whole issue suggests a utopian view of society. Who do our kids belong to ? The State ? The group with the majority opinion ? I weep for humanity and the USA
Old Region Fan,
Here is why the question is so relevant:
Several years ago on Halloween night, I placed a battery operated handheld spotlight by my front door “just in case”. Well after official trick-or-treating time and in spite of our porch light being off, six teenage boys came up to our door and yelled “trick or treat”! I answered the door, spotlight discretely in hand behind my body, and explained in an upbeat demeanor that trick-or-treating was over, our porch light was off, and we ran out candy anyway. A boy in the front, dressed as a gangster, then asked, “Are you sure you don’t have any candy?” I said, “no”. He then asked if I had any food treats? I said, “no”. Then he raised up a handgun (without an orange tip), pointed it at me, and asked if I had any money. I said, “no but I have this” while simultaneously raising the spotlight and shining it into his face — which ended the “encounter”.
I sincerely hope you can see just how dangerous that situation was for that boy and for myself. His replica handgun was realistic and I had no way of knowing whether or not it was real or a toy. What if I had answered the door with a real handgun in a holster or in my hand — a fairly prudent thing to do when six teenage boys come up to your front door after trick-or-treating was over on Halloween? Promptly drawing and firing means injuring or killing a boy who simply exercised poor judgement. Or it means stopping an actual armed robbery. And failing to draw and fire could mean that I am injured or killed in an actual armed robbery. Or it could mean preventing the injury or death of a boy who exercised poor judgement.
What would Mexico do to one of us if we some how managed to shoot and kill someone in Mexico when we weren’t even supposed to be there?
It wouldn’t be any of this poooor baby BS we are seeing.
Beyond all the conjecture, I’d have to look at the projectile, the scene, the marks on the ground and positions of everyone to make any sort of conclusion.
These days, I wouldn’t let any children run loose on the streets tonight – costumes, toy guns or otherwise. My grandsons and I will watch a movie with popcorn, hot cocoa. That’s as much sugar as they need any day. They are old enough to think “toy guns” are lame anyway. They much prefer the real ones. We’ll shoot tomorrow if it doesn’t snow too much.
“…Mr. Zarate pushed the muzzle downwards as he shot the gun.”
Well there’s your premeditation right there, he know’s how snappy .40 is and pushed the muzzle down to compensate.
I’m going to be controversial and say kids should be able to carry real guns any day. The Constitution gives no provision for minors not being “the people”. This is especially true of late teens who, while not eligible for the Continental Army, were always part of the militia.
The real question here is why we’re wasting money on a trial. He’s not a citizen and is busy committing violent crimes, the arresting officer should have just put him down on the spot.
Primers are hidden in the lipstick tube.
I like that; I also noticed the non-primed cases. Also the bullets look like standard FMJ to me, not any sort of expanding projectile.
The NAS cases look interesting – at first glance, I thought they were showing .45 Auto Rim, ’cause the joint at the cartridge base looked odd.
Light sabers, yes.
Plastic or wooden pirate swords, yes.
Star Trek phasers, yes.
Realistic-looking guns, no, with or without an orange tip because at night, it’s hard to see the orange tip.
I’d buy a tiny gun like that if it was chambered for the famous .9mm.
May be worth it for the novelty, just like a miniature schofield.
Pointing a gun at some one and pulling the trigger in murder.
I think it depends on where you live. Where I grew up or where I live now, sure. Other places I’ve lived? Absolutely not. Around here it happens every year and it’s not a problem. Taking a trip to Boulder might be asking for trouble.
It does not matter. He had the gun, he is responsible for that gun and anything that happens involving that gun. Just like any lawful gun owner.
Yes, he is responsible for what happened when that gun in his hand discharged. But the penalty he might pay depends on whether or not he intended to shoot the victim.
When there is no relationship between the perp and the victim (e.g. rival gang members), and no known motive (e.g. robbery), then proving intent beyond a reasonable doubt might be difficult.
No vape pen?! No field notes?! No brass knuckles and/or butterfly knife?! Hand in your mall ninja badge.
These folks and those that buy this stuff are nuckin futz.
…and the comment system sucks.
Anyone who thinks this gun really needs such a dry robotic review is an idiot. This clearly wasn’t made to be some everyday carry paractical use shooter. It’s a conversation piece and something unique to own. Like the Desert Eagle .50 for example. Nobody is going to carry it and expect to be a perfect shot. This is about as big of a round as anyone can handle double blast of. The review should have said “yep, it’s jist as cool and hectic to shoot as it is to look at”