EVERETT, Wash. (KCPQ) — A 26-year-old Lynnwood man was being held in the Snohomish County Jail Friday night after a 4-year-old girl who lived in his home told authorities he shot her multiple times with an airsoft pellet gun and had “hog-tied” her by tying her hands behind her back as a form of punishment.
Stetson Tedder was arrested Thursday for investigation of second-degree assault of a child and unlawful imprisonment. Bail was set Friday at $25,000.
The Everett Herald reported the girl is Tedder’s stepdaughter, but that could not be immediately confirmed.
--
Wow, there are crazy incidents and people in Everett, WA!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Friday, January 04, 2013
Florida man launches pellet gun attack on couple in parking lot after asking "Are you Muslim?"
In what is, perhaps the strangest news to date, a blond haired white man attacked a young couple in a Walmart parking lot in Florida after approaching them and asking "Are you Muslim?"
"The first question to the male was ‘are you of Middle Eastern descent?' " explained Doug Tobin, spokesman for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.
Tobin said the male victim responded, "No, I'm not."
Then the man asked another question: "Are you Muslim?"
The victim again responded, "No, I'm not a Muslim."
Deputies say the suspect then yelled a racial slur, alluding to the fact the victim was "with a white woman."
Then the man pulled out a BB or air soft gun.
"The suspect shot about 20 rounds of this air soft/Pellet gun, toward our victims. Fortunately, they weren't seriously hurt. But it's a serious crime," Tobin said.
The attack is being treated as a hate crime. The male victim was treated and released at the scene, and the young woman who was with him was not hurt. The perpetrator escaped, and is still at large. The attack is being treated as a hate crime.
While airsoft guns are considered to be toys, the truth is that they are projectile weapons capable of inflicting harm. Findlaw.com adds:
Airsoft is considered illegal in various countries such as Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, and some countries like Canada prohibit the importation of "replica" Airsoft guns. However, federal importation laws in the United States simply require that all Airsoft guns transported within or imported into the country have barrels with a minimum 6mm wide blaze orange tip, so as to avoid confusion with real firearms. Most retailers of Airsoft guns have disclaimers stating that their Airsoft guns are sold with an orange tip, and that it is illegal to remove the orange tip.
Furthermore, individuals in the U.S. must be 18 years of age or older to purchase an Airsoft gun. On the other hand, Airsoft guns are not classified as firearms and are legal for use by all ages under federal law. However, some municipalities and states place restrictions on Airsoft guns. New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, San Francisco, and parts of Michigan outlaw Airsoft guns entirely.
Some countries have specific restrictions on Airsoft guns, such as maximum muzzle velocity standards, restrictions on use of trademarks of real firearms, and required use of 'unrealistic' coloring to distinguish Airsoft guns from actual firearms.
Finally, states such as California have laws that make it a crime to brandish a look-alike gun in public. Furthermore, individuals using an Airsoft or replica gun to commit crimes will invariably be treated as though they had used an actual firearm.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Airsoft gun leads to Vancouver store lockdown
by KGW.com Staff
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Updated Saturday, Dec 29 at 1:29 PM
VANCOUVER – Two people were arrested Friday after pointing an Airsoft gun, which led to the lockdown of a nearby department store.
Vancouver Police Commander Dave King said the three unidentified suspects had bought the [airsoft] gun and removed an orange safety tip. The nearby J.C. Penny store on Southeast Mill Plain was locked down after someone reported seeing the [airsoft] gun being brandished.
One of the suspects put the [airsoft] gun in a trash can as police were arriving. No one was hurt.
A 27-year-old man and 21-year-old woman were arrested on outstanding warrants, according to King. A third man was not arrested.
Posted on December 28, 2012 at 5:13 PM
Updated Saturday, Dec 29 at 1:29 PM
VANCOUVER – Two people were arrested Friday after pointing an Airsoft gun, which led to the lockdown of a nearby department store.
Vancouver Police Commander Dave King said the three unidentified suspects had bought the [airsoft] gun and removed an orange safety tip. The nearby J.C. Penny store on Southeast Mill Plain was locked down after someone reported seeing the [airsoft] gun being brandished.
One of the suspects put the [airsoft] gun in a trash can as police were arriving. No one was hurt.
A 27-year-old man and 21-year-old woman were arrested on outstanding warrants, according to King. A third man was not arrested.
Two arrested after pointing Airsoft gun at cars outside J.C. Penney
Three people who were allegedly pointing an Airsoft gun at cars prompted the temporary lockdown of an east Vancouver department store Friday.
The call was reported around 12:40 p.m. at the J.C. Penney at 19005 S.E. Mill Plain Blvd.
Police responded after someone called 911 to report a group of people with a weapon in a car, said Vancouver police Cmdr. Dave King.
The store was placed in lockdown. Police arrived and found the Airsoft gun was placed in a trash can and three suspects were attempting to blend into the crowd, King said.
The group had purchased the [airsoft] gun less than an hour before the incident and removed the orange tip that identified the [airsoft] gun as a toy, King said.
Two of the three people, a 27-year-old man and 21-year-old woman, were arrested on outstanding warrants. The third suspect, a 42 year-old male, also had an outstanding warrant but was not arrested because it was non-extraditable, King said.
Police are attempting to see if the [airsoft] gun was pointed at any individuals to support potential brandishing charges.
“It’s not against the law to possess an Airsoft weapon,” King said. It is against the law to point anything at someone that appears like a weapon and causes alarm, he said.
---
This is an idiotic move to make. We must all practice airsoft safety, especially in the public.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Florida gun range lets customers shoot at each other
UPDATE: This story has been modified from an earlier version.
Combat Shooting Sports, a Florida gun range, has taken the concept of target practice to a whole new level. Customers can actually engage in simulated combat against other people, shooting real guns at each other.
However, as local affiliate WKMG explains, the customers aren't using live ammunition. Owner Dave Kaplan gives visitors a choice: He can modify your own gun to fire Simunition rounds. Simunition rounds are filled with compounds similar to those found in paintball rounds. They've been used by military and law enforcement organizations in training exercises.
"General dynamics created Simunition decades ago for the military and later law enforcement," Kaplan said in an email to Yahoo! News. "They recently created a civilian range program and we are probably the only facility doing person on person fighting. We are taking firearm training to a level previously held by professionals."
And while most customers are going for fun, Kaplan says a growing percentage of his visitors are women who show up to improve their personal safety skills and knowledge.
"Most women walk out of here very empowered, and that's the key," Tiffany Chapin, who teaches one of the safety courses targeted towards women, told WKMG.
"We are insured, certified, and [use] proper safety gear from the Simunition corporation is always utilized," Kaplan told Yahoo! News. "People are using real firearms modified to preclude the firing of a live/lethal round."
A trip to Combat Shooting Sports costs about $150, which includes the cost of the gun modification.
After receiving their modified guns and donning protective gear, customers are broken up into teams and take part in various games ranging from capture the flag to hostage simulations. Games can last from about 10 minutes to more than an hour. But customers are allowed to stay for the entire day, according to the company's website.
For more recreational shooters, Kaplan also owns Combat City, which offers customers the chance to engage in target practice and simulated fights using an Airsoft gun from the store.
The Airsoft rounds [airsoft bb's] don't inflict serious damage but they do hurt. An entry on the Combat City website explains, "There is a degree of pain associated with Airsoft just like paintball. It is significantly less than paintball and without the swelling."
And for added safety, participants are outfitted in a set of protective gear including helmets and padding over sensitive areas.
All of the action takes place inside a former grocery store that has been modified into an indoor combat setting.
Children are allowed to fire the Airsoft guns, but are put in situations where they are themselves on the receiving end of fire. (An earlier version of this contained a link to another story that inaccurately implied that the children were taking part in simulated combat exercises).
A disclaimer on the Combat City site says "all ages are welcome," adding, "We can not tell you what you or your child can handle. There are young kids playing at Combat City on a daily basis, only you can decide."
"We get 'em at all ages," Kaplan said in a separate interview with Fox35, noting that one of the participants on the video was 8-years-old.
Combat Shooting Sports, a Florida gun range, has taken the concept of target practice to a whole new level. Customers can actually engage in simulated combat against other people, shooting real guns at each other.
However, as local affiliate WKMG explains, the customers aren't using live ammunition. Owner Dave Kaplan gives visitors a choice: He can modify your own gun to fire Simunition rounds. Simunition rounds are filled with compounds similar to those found in paintball rounds. They've been used by military and law enforcement organizations in training exercises.
"General dynamics created Simunition decades ago for the military and later law enforcement," Kaplan said in an email to Yahoo! News. "They recently created a civilian range program and we are probably the only facility doing person on person fighting. We are taking firearm training to a level previously held by professionals."
And while most customers are going for fun, Kaplan says a growing percentage of his visitors are women who show up to improve their personal safety skills and knowledge.
"Most women walk out of here very empowered, and that's the key," Tiffany Chapin, who teaches one of the safety courses targeted towards women, told WKMG.
"We are insured, certified, and [use] proper safety gear from the Simunition corporation is always utilized," Kaplan told Yahoo! News. "People are using real firearms modified to preclude the firing of a live/lethal round."
A trip to Combat Shooting Sports costs about $150, which includes the cost of the gun modification.
After receiving their modified guns and donning protective gear, customers are broken up into teams and take part in various games ranging from capture the flag to hostage simulations. Games can last from about 10 minutes to more than an hour. But customers are allowed to stay for the entire day, according to the company's website.
For more recreational shooters, Kaplan also owns Combat City, which offers customers the chance to engage in target practice and simulated fights using an Airsoft gun from the store.
The Airsoft rounds [airsoft bb's] don't inflict serious damage but they do hurt. An entry on the Combat City website explains, "There is a degree of pain associated with Airsoft just like paintball. It is significantly less than paintball and without the swelling."
And for added safety, participants are outfitted in a set of protective gear including helmets and padding over sensitive areas.
All of the action takes place inside a former grocery store that has been modified into an indoor combat setting.
Children are allowed to fire the Airsoft guns, but are put in situations where they are themselves on the receiving end of fire. (An earlier version of this contained a link to another story that inaccurately implied that the children were taking part in simulated combat exercises).
A disclaimer on the Combat City site says "all ages are welcome," adding, "We can not tell you what you or your child can handle. There are young kids playing at Combat City on a daily basis, only you can decide."
"We get 'em at all ages," Kaplan said in a separate interview with Fox35, noting that one of the participants on the video was 8-years-old.
Monday, November 12, 2012
University students create organization to play airsoft
Jacob Werner discovered airsoft in sixth grade, started playing and one by one, his friends joined and started playing also.
When Werner, a sophomore, and his friends enrolled in the University in the fall of 2011, they wanted to take their love of playing airsoft with them to college and started The Screaming Falcons the summer before attending.
"We hadn’t heard of other campuses with an airsoft group, but we grew up playing together so we thought this would be an opportunity for us to play in bigger events," said Chris Wegman, University sophomore and secretary for the group.
The Screaming Falcons started with 10 members, but used Campus Fest last year and this year to recruit new members. The group now consists of about 30 members.
"We know a lot of people play in their backyards, so we just want to consolidate that and get them to play with us," Werner said.
The Screaming Falcons took their name from the 101st Airborne Division, known as the Screaming Eagles, an air assault unit, Werner said.
"We play airsoft purely for sport, but our name is sort of for our admiration for the military," Werner, president of the group, said.
University sophomore and vice president of the group Nick Rafferty said airsoft is similar to paintball with the type of game play, but a more realistic version.
Two or more teams will play for a common objective, such as capture the flag or take out a team, but the main difference between the games is the realistic sense, Rafferty said.
"Airsoft guns don’t fire paint; they fire plastic pellets, which makes it more realistic," Rafferty said.
Werner said that this led to him playing airsoft in the first place.
"My brother was really into paintball, but the guns weren’t cool enough, so I played airsoft instead," Werner said.
University sophomore and treasurer of the group Jacob Feeney said he was in seventh grade when he first picked up an airsoft gun.
"I figured my best friend is playing, so I should start too," Feeney said.
Feeney said that he has continued playing just because he enjoys the overall experience.
"I like it because I’m out there all day with buddies and we get to joke around, but we have to be serious at times too," Feeney said.
Werner said he enjoys playing airsoft mainly because of the friends and camaraderie, but also for the reenactment part of it and the fact that it’s an active sport.
"You get an adrenaline rush that you don’t get when you play video games," Wegman said.
Rafferty also said that he gets an adrenaline rush when playing airsoft and just enjoys going out with his friends to play.
"It gives me something to do on the weekend and it’s fun to play as a team," Rafferty said. "I’ve played paintball before and it turns out that we never play well as a team, but with airsoft we do."
Werner said his favorite part of playing airsoft comes from the team aspect of the game.
"Working with people can really influence the game," Werner said. "One person can influence the game, but not as well as a group working together."
The Screaming Falcons meet every other Thursday night in Business Administration 1009 from 7 to 9 p.m. to discuss upcoming events.
The group usually plays two or three times a month when at least five members are available to play.
Any student can join The Screaming Falcons by going to one of the meetings or by contacting one of the officers of the group. The only requirement the team has is that members have goggles with full seal eye protection for safety reasons and the other gear, the team will help members find or loan their own.
"We’re always looking for new members," Werner said. "If you have anything or have nothing, we can incorporate you in as a team and help you out. It’s all about having fun."
Article
When Werner, a sophomore, and his friends enrolled in the University in the fall of 2011, they wanted to take their love of playing airsoft with them to college and started The Screaming Falcons the summer before attending.
"We hadn’t heard of other campuses with an airsoft group, but we grew up playing together so we thought this would be an opportunity for us to play in bigger events," said Chris Wegman, University sophomore and secretary for the group.
The Screaming Falcons started with 10 members, but used Campus Fest last year and this year to recruit new members. The group now consists of about 30 members.
"We know a lot of people play in their backyards, so we just want to consolidate that and get them to play with us," Werner said.
The Screaming Falcons took their name from the 101st Airborne Division, known as the Screaming Eagles, an air assault unit, Werner said.
"We play airsoft purely for sport, but our name is sort of for our admiration for the military," Werner, president of the group, said.
University sophomore and vice president of the group Nick Rafferty said airsoft is similar to paintball with the type of game play, but a more realistic version.
Two or more teams will play for a common objective, such as capture the flag or take out a team, but the main difference between the games is the realistic sense, Rafferty said.
"Airsoft guns don’t fire paint; they fire plastic pellets, which makes it more realistic," Rafferty said.
Werner said that this led to him playing airsoft in the first place.
"My brother was really into paintball, but the guns weren’t cool enough, so I played airsoft instead," Werner said.
University sophomore and treasurer of the group Jacob Feeney said he was in seventh grade when he first picked up an airsoft gun.
"I figured my best friend is playing, so I should start too," Feeney said.
Feeney said that he has continued playing just because he enjoys the overall experience.
"I like it because I’m out there all day with buddies and we get to joke around, but we have to be serious at times too," Feeney said.
Werner said he enjoys playing airsoft mainly because of the friends and camaraderie, but also for the reenactment part of it and the fact that it’s an active sport.
"You get an adrenaline rush that you don’t get when you play video games," Wegman said.
Rafferty also said that he gets an adrenaline rush when playing airsoft and just enjoys going out with his friends to play.
"It gives me something to do on the weekend and it’s fun to play as a team," Rafferty said. "I’ve played paintball before and it turns out that we never play well as a team, but with airsoft we do."
Werner said his favorite part of playing airsoft comes from the team aspect of the game.
"Working with people can really influence the game," Werner said. "One person can influence the game, but not as well as a group working together."
The Screaming Falcons meet every other Thursday night in Business Administration 1009 from 7 to 9 p.m. to discuss upcoming events.
The group usually plays two or three times a month when at least five members are available to play.
Any student can join The Screaming Falcons by going to one of the meetings or by contacting one of the officers of the group. The only requirement the team has is that members have goggles with full seal eye protection for safety reasons and the other gear, the team will help members find or loan their own.
"We’re always looking for new members," Werner said. "If you have anything or have nothing, we can incorporate you in as a team and help you out. It’s all about having fun."
Article
Wednesday, November 07, 2012
Parents urge Benson council to change law
Parents angered because their kids were cited for the use of Airsoft guns in the Benson City limits came to Monday night’s council meeting to ask that the city law be changed.
Janet Johnson told the council that her son was playing with airsoft guns with six other boys around the Goff bin site at the southern edge of the city recently.
The kids were witnessed playing on the property by an off-duty officer who called it in to the Benson police, she said. Benson officers arriving at the scene citing the boys for the firing of prohibited weapons within the city limits.
Johnson told the council that the parents did not want the kids shooting the airsoft guns in town. They were aware of the incident that had happened last year where the kids playing on school property had gotten in trouble for firing Airsoft guns. School was out at the time.
"We told them to go to the Goff site," Johnson said. "The boys did not know that the Goff bin site was in the city. They were doing what their parents had told them to do."
The boys cooperated fully with the officers and were respectful, Johnson said.
----
For more information regarding another law (SB1315 in California) that has passed regarding airsoft: http://www.airsplat.com/sb1315.pdf
Janet Johnson told the council that her son was playing with airsoft guns with six other boys around the Goff bin site at the southern edge of the city recently.
The kids were witnessed playing on the property by an off-duty officer who called it in to the Benson police, she said. Benson officers arriving at the scene citing the boys for the firing of prohibited weapons within the city limits.
Johnson told the council that the parents did not want the kids shooting the airsoft guns in town. They were aware of the incident that had happened last year where the kids playing on school property had gotten in trouble for firing Airsoft guns. School was out at the time.
"We told them to go to the Goff site," Johnson said. "The boys did not know that the Goff bin site was in the city. They were doing what their parents had told them to do."
The boys cooperated fully with the officers and were respectful, Johnson said.
----
For more information regarding another law (SB1315 in California) that has passed regarding airsoft: http://www.airsplat.com/sb1315.pdf
Sunday, October 28, 2012
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.
Friday, October 12, 2012
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.)
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.)
Thursday, October 04, 2012
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.
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.
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