New York State issued more than $300,000 in fines against Walmart, Amazon and other retailers for selling children’s toy guns that bear too strong a resemblance to the real thing. The state requires all toy guns to be brightly colored.
“State law prohibits the sale of imitation guns in realistic colors such as black, blue, silver, or aluminum, unless it has a non-removable one-inch-wide orange stripe running down both sides of the barrel and the front end of the barrel,” the attorney general’s office said.
This is not the first time the state has cracked down on toy guns. In 2003, then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued Walmart for violating the state’s toy gun laws, leading to a $200,00 fine. Retailers including Rite-Aid were forced to pay a total of $69,500 for “failure to comply fully with the state’s toy gun law” and other “toy gun law violations” in 2001 and 2002.
The latest fines are the result of an investigation that began in December, which reportedly uncovered a number of guns that “closely resemble dangerous weapons.”
“Some of the toy guns discovered during the investigation are advertised as ‘realistic looking’ and ‘full size,’” the office said in a statement. “Since they lack the orange striping down both sides of the barrel as required under state law, these imitation assault rifles, shotguns, and pistols closely resemble dangerous weapons, and could be easily mistaken for real weapons by law enforcement and civilians alike.”
The Attorney General’s office blamed toy guns for eight deaths and sixty -three shootings since 1994.
“State law prohibits the sale of imitation guns in realistic colors such as black, blue, silver, or aluminum, unless it has a non-removable one-inch-wide orange stripe running down both sides of the barrel and the front end of the barrel,” the attorney general’s office said.
This is not the first time the state has cracked down on toy guns. In 2003, then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued Walmart for violating the state’s toy gun laws, leading to a $200,00 fine. Retailers including Rite-Aid were forced to pay a total of $69,500 for “failure to comply fully with the state’s toy gun law” and other “toy gun law violations” in 2001 and 2002.
The latest fines are the result of an investigation that began in December, which reportedly uncovered a number of guns that “closely resemble dangerous weapons.”
“Some of the toy guns discovered during the investigation are advertised as ‘realistic looking’ and ‘full size,’” the office said in a statement. “Since they lack the orange striping down both sides of the barrel as required under state law, these imitation assault rifles, shotguns, and pistols closely resemble dangerous weapons, and could be easily mistaken for real weapons by law enforcement and civilians alike.”
The Attorney General’s office blamed toy guns for eight deaths and sixty -three shootings since 1994.
So if I want to open carry in NY state, I should put an orange plastic tip on my weapon and paint orange stipes on each side of the barrel?
ReplyDeleteWell, first off, obey the laws of your state or suffer the repercussions. next, move the $#%& out of New York. The law makers have forgotten 9-11 and the US Constitution.
ReplyDelete