Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By Scott Marks, Attorney & David Wolf, Attorney Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
A BB gun, also known as a pellet gun, can cause substantial bodily injury and even death. According to statistics, about four people are actually killed each year by BB guns. These guns are often considered a “toy,” but have similar features to a common hand gun; they have muzzle velocities higher than 350 feet per second. That means that the gun shoots the pellet at 350 feet per second, which is not much of a difference compared to a hand gun that has a muzzle velocity of 800 feet per second.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that children under the age of 16 should not own and operate such a gun. But, if they do, they should follow a few safety tips. First, children should never point a BB gun at anyone, whether it is loaded or not. Second, the BB gun should always be on safety until it is ready to be used. In addition, children should never carry your BB gun in public places because it may be mistaken for a real gun. Lastly, unload the gun when it is not in use.
A six-year-old boy was recently shot in the head with a BB gun in Sacramento, California. According to Sacramento police, the incident occurred near 5th Street and Vallejo. The child suffered a bump on the head and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Investigators said there is an ongoing issue between the neighbors and it is unclear who is responsible for the shooting. Laura Peck, spokeswoman for the Sacramento Police, said that the crime report has been filed as an assault with a weapon. Fore more information on this topic, see child shot in head with BB gun in Sacramento neighborhood.