Does this look like paintball to you?

[generalmeow]

Police say they think these people on Staten Island are holding paintball guns.

1) What would make them assume that until proven otherwise?
2) Do those look like paintball guns? Maybe airsoft. I have never seen a paintball gun that looks like that. I'm no expert, but in my experience paintball guns don't look like real guns, let alone dissipator AR-15's.
3) Doesn't airsoft have orange tips?

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.2295824

[Robb]

They have orange tips until the kids pull them off. Then they are extremely accurate representations of real firearms.

[generalmeow]

Welp, I stand corrected. They do make AR-15 style paintball guns these days. I still don't know why they would jump to that conclusion, considering an ex-cop took the pictures, observed what was happening first hand, and was still concerned.

The last time I paintballed 20 years ago they looked like space guns.

[asmo]

1) What would make them assume that until proven otherwise?

2) Do those look like paintball guns? Maybe airsoft. I have never seen a paintball gun that looks like that. I'm no expert, but in my experience paintball guns don't look like real guns, let alone dissipator AR-15's.

Yes. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=AR15+paintball+gun

3) Doesn't airsoft have orange tips?

No. Not all of them.

[generalmeow]

Yes. http://lmgtfy.com/?q=AR15+paintball+gun


No. Not all of them.

By the same logic then, if someone points a gun at you you assume that it is a paintball gun until proven otherwise? If it's a paintball gun, then it isn't a crime, and you're not a victim because you weren't really going to be killed, so no harm no foul? 30 rd mags are banned in New York, so that's a reason to stop them regardless.

That looks like a paintball gun to you? Looks like an Ar-15 to me. What about it makes you think it is paintball in lieu of the real thing?

It is a federal law that airsoft guns must have a 1/4" orange tip, and it is illegal to remove the tip. Edit - I looked further into this. It's only illegal to sell it without the tip.

[fitz19d]

Adult airsoft done in fields and arena rarely had orange tips. I was under the impression like find and even paintball the good places follow safety stuff and even have changed flags I thought. Could be wrong but that was my recollection.

EDIT: Damn phone

[TEAMRICO]

Who paintballs without protective gear?
They also look like those AR Shotguns, M19 something's.

[generalmeow]

Who paintballs without protective gear?
They also look like those AR Shotguns, M19 something's.

Well it does kind of look like it has a fat barrel. That could mean paintball I guess.

The entire point is why they automatically assume the most harmless explanation? On what planet do the police assume the most harmless explanation for what they're seeing? The planet where the people appear to be muslim and they don't want to get other folks worried, I guess.

[Bailey Guns]

The planet where Muslims can't be offended if the police "think" they may have guns. I can't even imagine the butt-hurt from the left in general, CAIR and Obama if the police were to contact them only to find out those were toy guns. Nevermind the fact they could be running a dry drill with toys just to see the reaction of the police.

[izzy]

she's showing pretty decent trigger discipline for someone just lugging around a toy