Ashtabula residents mistake Orbeez toy guns for real firearms, prompting police response
Jul. 6—ASHTABULA — Over the past week, residents have reported alarming incidents to the Ashtabula Police Department involving cars pulling up with what appeared to be firearms.
These weapons, however, turned out to be toy Orbeez guns, which fire projectiles filled with water.
On Wednesday, July 3, the department received multiple calls of a fight with multiple people involved, with guns being present on the scene, according to the APD. The suspects reportedly left the scene at a high rate of speed, which led to a felony traffic stop.
"We ended up getting a call a few days ago and we executed a felony stop on it," said Chief of Police Robert Stell. "It puts everyone in a dangerous situation when police are pulling people out of cars at gunpoint, because we think you're armed and going after people."
Stell said that clubs have been put together through social media for gun battles with Orbeez.
Most of the members of these clubs are juveniles and young adults.
Residents are reporting gunfire. From a distance, these Orbeez guns could be mistaken for real guns if a person doesn't know what they are.
Ashtabula resident and parent Tonia Smith said that you can tell they aren't real depending on the color. She said that some of the kids are painting their Orbeez guns.
"Both of my children have one and I've had several talks with them," she said. "They just need to be educated on the dangers of what lines not to cross when it comes to these kinds of situations. It is dangerous to be out at night playing with these guns ... I would not approve of that. As long as the kids aren't hurting civilians or shooting at people's houses and or property ... I say let kids be kids."
APD is worried that the amount of calls could possibly result in an accidental shooting.
"The police are going to keep getting calls for this and we don't want that," Stell said. "The more times that police get sent on gun calls just increases the chance that someone accidentally gets shot. We certainly don't want to see something like that happen. We're trying to express to the people that are playing this that maybe this isn't the best way to do this. Not the way that you're doing it now ... alarming people all around the community."
