Video: Teens With BB Guns Becoming a Serious Concern

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WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)- Similar clips, similar guns, only one shoots bullets and the other doesn’t. West Point Police Chief Tim Brinkley is dealing with a growing and scary trend, confiscating BB guns that pass as deadly weapons.

Just this week, authorities responded to a scare about juveniles carrying around what appeared to be handguns.

“When police got there, the call came in that there were individuals walking around with guns in their waist bands. When my officers encountered them and disarmed them, it was only then they discovered they weren’t real weapons, but you can understand that might pose a significant risk to us in the law enforcement community, said Chief Brinkley.

Brinkley says the incident was handled safely but with BB guns now looking so real, there’s the potential for disaster.

“If an officer encounters somebody that’s got one of these and he pulls it out and points it at that officer, it’s pretty clear cut how he’s going to regard that. That’s a real threat. And that would be a justified shot if he has to shoot somebody. They have clips on them just like real guns. Everything about it simulates a real firearm. It’s not like the old BB guns we used to shoot when we were kids, shooting at birds and cans. These things simulate real guns in every way imaginable and then they look so much like real weapons. It’s a scary thought.” said Chief Brinkley.

Brinkley urges parents to pay attention to the toys their kids are playing with and has this message for young people.

“Be careful that your behavior and your actions and your decisions do not get you in more trouble than your parents can get you out of,” said Chief Brinkley.

The West Point Police Department have confiscated 8 BB Guns so far this year.