The Sheriff Deputies of Ohio posted a photo to their Facebook page last week of a fully functional shotgun that was designed to look like Super Soaker water gun.
The image, as well as the comment “I suspect that we’ll be seeing more and more of this,” are disturbing on many levels, particularly in the wake of the tragic police shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice who was holding an “airsoft” gun.
Since its publication on their Facebook page on Dec. 4, the post has spawned thousands of comments and shares, adding all the more urgency to programs like the local Boys and Girls Club toy gun buyback slated for Dec. 13.
Editor’s note: An earlier headline on this post reflected that Ohio police had confiscated the weapon. They did not. Indianapolis police did in 2012.
This article appears in Dec 3-9, 2014.
Correction:
Tamir Rice was not holding anything when he was gunned down.
It’s more disturbing that they’re taking a picture from a news story from Indianapolis that’s two years old and trying to play it off as a new story–one has to wonder why. Media manipulation at its finest
Maybe if kids were raised right they would know not go around in public with a toy gun and when cops say put your hands up you put your damn hands up! People are stupid , not the cops fault.. I do not see people arguing when they do something amazing for us everyday only when they make few and far mistakes. Which was not the case with that 12 year old he was in the wrong!!
Tamir rice pulled the gun out his pants as the p o lice pulled up you can see it then the cop walked over and kicked it away
I think this is irresponsible reporting for 2 reasons. The first, being that this is not an official state, local or federal site. It is a site created by member of the sheriff’s organization to share their opinion. As such, it should not be presented as something coming out of the department…. Second, this picture was from 2012. The reporter notes that himself but still posts the picture. I’m wondering what information is this report trying to convey….
police are held to a higher standard than the rest of us, its the price they have to pay for the power they wield. say what you want, but the cops should have known better than to break protocol by pulling up that close if a potential gun was involved. if I know someone has a gun, id be DEFENSIVE, not pulling up 2 feet from them which is OFFENSIVE. i dunno, I just figure if I think someone has a gun, i’m going to pull up to them from a distance and see whats going on, not get in lethal range
that being said, please please please please please just fucking listen to an officer when they tell you to do shit. there is no better idea or better alternative. dont run, dont try to pull the evidence that you’re not a threat out of your pocket or waistband, just shut up, stop, and be respectful. i know its difficult, but you can do it. i believe in you.
Honestly the worlds fucked in so many ways. Raising your child needs to go back to way it use to be. I got my ass whipped and I grew up just fine. People treat their kids more like friends in situations than as a child. Well maybe if people weren’t having them before they turned 18. Everytime you discipline your child a certain way in today’s society its counted as some form of child abuse. Taking a belt and busting your childs ass with it is not abuse its a form of discipline. Yes their will be those few fucks in the world who over do it. The only thing I’m getting to is that if we would go back to the way we disciplined our kids then their would be less of this.