I wasn't there, and I don't have all the facts... However, having grown up around a plethora of air guns and being a LEO, I can attest to the immediate perception of lethal threat that an air gun can give. Not only can they look and operate like the real thing, many of them can also cause severe bodily harm, and even death. As an example, Crosman produces a rifle known as the Rogue, a .357 calibre pellet rifle that has been used to kill coyote at up to 75 yards...yes, it is an air powered rifle.
Over the years there have been many cases of severe injury and death at the hands of these devices because people treat them like toys, which they are clearly not. There have also been many cases of OIS where the subject had an air gun, and the officer was fully cleared of any charges. As a matter of fact, there was a similar case in North Miami Beach in 2003 - someone should look into the expert witnesses who worked on that case, both into the criminal side and the civil side.
My prayers go out to Peraza and his family. It makes me sick how this case has even happened, and in good part due to the public's anti-LEO sentiment. We are in a bad time to be a LEO.
Over the years there have been many cases of severe injury and death at the hands of these devices because people treat them like toys, which they are clearly not. There have also been many cases of OIS where the subject had an air gun, and the officer was fully cleared of any charges. As a matter of fact, there was a similar case in North Miami Beach in 2003 - someone should look into the expert witnesses who worked on that case, both into the criminal side and the civil side.
My prayers go out to Peraza and his family. It makes me sick how this case has even happened, and in good part due to the public's anti-LEO sentiment. We are in a bad time to be a LEO.
