An officer fired a warning shot on Monday evening when he approached two boys (16 and 18), who were sitting in a car at Drogerij in Waalwijk. The police had heard that the boys had been in the car for an hour with guns. Later it turned out that they were so-called gel blasters, with which it is possible to shoot gel balls.
When the agents arrived, they saw the car with the two suspects. They ran for cover and one of the officers shouted loudly that he was from the police and that they had been arrested. He also shouted that the firearms were aimed at them and that they should raise their hands. “Any suspicious movement will result in a shooting,” he added.
‘Police! Hands up!’
The policeman saw the driver look around and then make a forward grabbing motion. The officer immediately fired a warning shot.
Then he yelled at them again to raise their hands. The two young people from Waalwijk and Nieuwkuijk met this requirement. Then they were arrested. Two red and black gel shot guns, three ziplock hemp bags and a ziplock hash bag were found in the car. One case was recorded against teenagers.
TikTok-challenge
Gel blasters are fake firearms that shoot water balls with force. “If those balls hit you, you can get a bruise or burn,” explains a police spokesperson. Gel blasters look very different. Most gel ball guns are brightly colored, but some are black or brown.
“A gel blaster is considered a toy if it complies with the European Toy Safety Directive. Children under the age of 14 can therefore play with it on the street. Any other use of this toy, such as threatening or shooting people as in TikTok challenge, prohibited A gel blaster that does not comply with the European Toy Safety Directive and that exactly resembles a real firearm in shape and size is a prohibited weapon.
The color of the gel blaster is not important. Only shape and size count for the law.
Prevention is better than cure
“As police, we assume it can be a real firearm when a complaint is made,” explains the spokesperson. “We’re safe. Real firearms are also available in bright colors.”
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