Teens Arrested for Impersonating an Officer tried to ‘Break up’ Party

MANTECA–

Two teenagers were arrested Saturday night for allegedly impersonating police officers, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s office said in a release.

Actual deputies were called to a party at a home near Manteca Road and Sedan Avenue around 10:30 p.m. after the two were reported.

Once at the party, one of the teens – 18-year-old Kyle Clogston of Manteca – allegedly told sheriff’s deputies that he was a police officer. Deputies found that both Clogston and 19-year-old Lodi resident Marcus Bradford were dressed in tactical-style gear and armed with airsoft rifles and pistols with the orange tips painted black. Bradford was also said to have an imitation badge on his chest.

Eventually, both teens allegedly confessed to deputies that they had impersonated police officers in order to break up the party.

Both were arrested and booked at San Joaquin County Jail for impersonating an officer, impersonating an officer’s badge and possession of an imitation [airsoft] firearm.

 

Suspects use Scream mask, airsoft gun in carjacking attempts

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Visalia Police are investigating a series of attempted carjackings Monday night. They happened in a parking garage across the street from Kaweah Delta Medical Center near Locust and Mineral King.

Investigators arrested 25-year-old Brittney Gipson and 26-year-old Veronica Baker on charges of attempted carjacking and assault with a deadly weapon.

Visalia Police say the couple attempted to carjack at least two victims inside the parking structure across the street from Kaweah Delta Medical Center.

"It was a very brazen kind of crime for our area, especially in our downtown area -- in the middle of the afternoon," said Sgt. Jim Carr with the Visalia Police Department.

Police say they received multiple calls of attempted carjackings inside the structure at around 3:30 Monday afternoon. Investigators say 25-year-old Brittney Gipson was wearing a Scream Halloween mask while holding what appeared to be a weapon at the victims.

"They demanded the keys from the people, and they refused to give it to them, so they were able to get away and call us," said Carr.

Gibson and his 26-year-old girlfriend Veronica Baker were arrested three blocks from the structure on main and bridge near a movie theater, minutes after the incidents. Police found evidence that linked the two to the crime. "The mask was located in the purse of the female that was with the male when we contacted them on Main Street, as well as a glock-like weapon that turned out to be a an airsoft gun."

While the suspects were not successful in their attempts to steal a vehicle, they did terrify the victims. One that was visiting a family member, the other was making a doctor's appointment.

Both suspects were booked into the Tulare County Jail and face attempted carjacking charges.

(Copyright ©2012 KFSN-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Anacortes police captain resigns after airsoft gun incident

ANACORTES, Wash. —

An Anacortes police captain has resigned after he was charged last month in connection with an incident in which an airsoft gun was fired.

Capt. Grant Lightfoot is accused of shooting two teenage boys with an airsoft pistol as they passed by Lightfoot’s home on the way to a friend’s house.

According to police, the boys had multiple welts on their chests, arms and backs.

Officers questioned Lightfoot, who told them that the two boys were throwing rocks at Lightfoot’s 11-year-old son.

According to witnesses, the boys threw rocks after they were shot.

Lightfoot then admitted he and his son fired, but he said his son’s airsoft gun was the only one that was loaded.

Lightfoot was then put on paid administrative leave right after the incident in August, and he resigned late September after charges were filed.

According to documents, Lightfoot told investigators that the incident was "lighthearted and fun."

"This is really difficult for the whole organization, and especially the police department," said Emily Schuh, the Anacortes Human Resources director.

KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Lee Stoll spoke with Lightfoot’s neighbor, Richard Gerlach, about the incident.

"It seems a little much for what happened, that he would lose his job over it," said Gerlach.

Gerlach has lived next to Lightfoot for years and said the officer would never hurt a child.

"He’s a good guy," said Gerlach. "We really pride ourselves on the public trust that we’ve earned in the community and the country and state, and to not have that in place right now is disheartening."

Lightfoot faces two counts of reckless endangerment and two counts of complicity in assault.

Markham woman struck in face with pellet from legal air gun

A walk in the park with family turned into a trip to the hospital for a Markham woman on Saturday. She was in a local park with her child when she heard loud bangs, followed by a sharp pain to her face. She had been struck by a pellet from an air gun, said Sgt. Gary Phillips of York Regional Police.

The culprit? A group of five youths nearby who had been using the gun to shoot cans in a backyard. All of the youths were under the age of 12, said Sgt. Phillips.

Many air guns, which include airsoft guns, pellet guns and other replica firearms, are legal in Canada. The use of replica firearms and air guns does still leave some police concerned.

"Last summer after an incident, we had an event where we showed a replica firearm, and one of the firearms that our emergency response team uses," said Sgt Phillips, referring to an incident in September when police were called to a Newmarket residence when a man spotted a youth with what appeared to be an assault rifle. "You couldn’t tell the difference."

In another incident in York Region this weekend, police pulled over a vehicle after a call from a motorist who saw what appeared to be a youth loading a handgun. The gun in question turned out to be an airsoft pistol, which was confiscated by police on the insistance of the youth’s parents, said Sgt. Phillips.

National Post

Youth Arrested for Airsoft Gun at Ridgefield High School

On Thursday, September 27 at 2:30 pm, Ridgefield Police saw "what appeared to be a shotgun" emerge from the passenger side of a vehicle travelling within the Ridgefield High School parking lot, police reports state.

Police pulled over the vehicle and found that the gun was "an Airsoft-type weapon without an orange tip," police said. The passenger who had allegedly brandished the [airsoft] gun was a 17 year-old male; he was brought to police headquarters and charged with breach of peace and brandishing a facsimile fire arm, according to police.

The youth was given juvenile summons to appear in court and was released to his parents.

Airsoft guns typically fire plastic BBs and are usually powered by battery or C02. Depending on their design, Airsoft guns can appear clearly toy-like with see-through plastic or may appear convincingly realistic. In accordance with federal law, all toy guns are required to be sold with orange tips, although these tips are sometimes removed after-market.

Czech president shot by air-gun-wielding assailant

In an eerie scene captured on video, Czech President Vaclav Klaus is approached by an armed assailant and shot in the arm. However, the attacker, who was dressed in camouflage, was carrying an "airsoft" gun that fires only harmless, plastic [airsoft bb] shells.

Airsoft guns are replicas of actual firearms, bearing a striking similarity to the real thing. They have become a popular alternative to paintball for recreational purposes. You can even buy airsoft guns modeled after firearms used in science-fiction films such as "Aliens."

"You really did not manage this well," Klaus, 71, reportedly told his bodyguards, in what may be the understatement of the year, as reported by local television station Nova.

In the video, the attacker simply walks up to Klaus and shoots him in the arm without anyone apparently taking notice. Klaus gives him a confused, stern look before turning back to the crowd he was greeting. He was reportedly taken to the hospital after the incident but suffered only minor bruises after the incident.

Even if his intentions were not lethal, the attacker apparently had a political message, saying the Czech government was "blind and deaf to the laments of the people," before being taken away by police.

However, the most interesting aspect of the aftermath may be that the attacker, who described himself as a 26-year-old communist sympathizer, was able to give an interview to the station before police apprehended him.

You can watch full video of the incident, including the attacker's interview, below: