A teenager who pulled a fake gun on an Arlington Police officer is highlighting a growing problem within the community.
“These life-like BB guns that are being carried by people right now pose a great risk to the community and a great risk to the officers,” said Arlington Police Chief Will Johnson.
According to police, the teen, 15, was carrying a BB gun that looks similar to a real weapon many people use today. Monday, he approached an officer eating lunch in his patrol car at a parking lot on Park Row Drive.
“The officer was sitting there in his car, you know. His first reaction was not one of alarm or concern. But as he was engaging this individual and trying to say, 'Hey, just wait a second, let me get out of the car,’ he kept ignoring the officer’s commands,” explained Johnson.
Once the officer stepped out of the car, Johnson said the teen took the gun out of his pocket. Just a few feet apart from each other, the officer decided to act quickly, striking the teen’s arm to hit the gun away and then tackling him to the ground.
“In this incident, I think everybody would agree the outcome is what we would hope it would be every time,” explained Johnson. “But the reality of it is that is not practical.”
Since January, Arlington police have responded to 11 cases where the suspects involved carried a BB gun instead of an actual gun. Five of those cases were robberies.
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Johnson is concerned that the growing use could lead to altercations with police that are avoidable.
While some states have restrictions on airsoft and BB guns, they are easily accessible in stores and online.
When asked whether he believed legislation was the answer, Johnson said he didn’t believe lawmakers could come to an agreement on this issue in today’s political climate.
“We have to have a conversation, a pragmatic, realistic conversation,” Johnson said. “If we don't want the outcome to be a teenager or a kid being shot because they had a BB gun by the police, as a society, we really have to ask the question-should this be part of society or it's accessibility as broadly as it is?”
The teenager involved in Monday’s incident is now facing a charge for terroristic threat.
