One of the reasons Airsoft is getting a bad image

[Hawkeye [F.O.A.D.]]

This is why Airsoft gets a bad image,

Two adult males and a juvenile male were cited and released by Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers in relation to a reported incident on the grounds of the MacLaren Youth Facility near Woodburn.

On February 3, 2014 at about 3:55 p.m., OSP troopers, Marion County Deputies, and Woodburn Police Officers responded to a call from staff at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility of a man carrying a rifle dressed in dark clothes and wearing a mask walking outside the perimeter fence of the facility.

Law Enforcement set up a large perimeter around the facility. An officer located three males walking in a residential neighborhood to the north of the facility that were dressed in dark clothing and were carrying air soft rifles.

OSP troopers identified them as KENNETH CHIPMAN, age 19, from Woodburn, DAKOTA STODDARD, age 21 from Oregon City, and a 14 year old male juvenile, from Hubbard. Investigators at the scene determined that the three were on Oregon Youth Authority property outside the perimeter fence having an air soft war game.

During the initial call and investigation the MacLaren Youth Correction Facility was locked down as a precautionary measure. At about 4:20 p.m., the lockdown was lifted.

Both CHIPMAN and STODDARD were cited in Marion County Circuit Court for Criminal Trespass II and Disorderly Conduct II. The 14 year old male juvenile was cited into Marion County Juvenile Department for Criminal Trespass II and Disorderly Conduct II.

OSP was assisted during the incident by Marion County Sheriff's Office, Woodburn Police, and staff from MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility.

No photographs for release.

###

[Hawkeye [F.O.A.D.]]

With people like this no wonder we are having a difficult time finding places to play,

[Goliath17]

Oh I remember when my dad, who works at MacLaren, told me about this the day it happened. A little part of my soal died when he told me.

[McNair]

Oh I remember when my dad, who works at MacLaren, told me about this the day it happened. A little part of my soal died when he told me.

You mean yesterday?

[Goliath17]

Oh I remember when my dad, who works at MacLaren, told me about this the day it happened. A little part of my soal died when he told me.

You mean yesterday?

Um...yes I do

[McNair]

Alright, just confirming. The way you "said" it made it seem like it was longer ago...

[McNair]

nvm

[Hamster]

Oh I remember when my dad, who works at MacLaren, told me about this the day it happened. A little part of my soal died when he told me.

>soal

Either way, shit like this happens often. No surprise it's a trio of young dudes.

The one way we can prevent these events from happening is if we just educate people. Basically, treat it like it's real because it's hard to differentiate at a moment's notice and don't be an idiot.

Maybe my two cents or some stupid saying like that.

[Steve]

It's an easy fix going forward. Just treat them as real. Require a $10 NICS check from the buyer (18+ for rifles / shotguns, 21 for pistols), get rid of the stupid orange tips.

The two biggest perceived problem areas for the hobby tend to be kids with Large-Mart guns and dumbasses (again, generally with Large-Mart guns). Mommy is unlikely to leave her child unsupervised with something that she had to do a OSP background check to buy, which fixes the first problem mostly. The second is going to stick around unless or until it becomes disadvantageous for stupid people to purchase AEGs, either by adding enough paperwork to convince the big-box stores to stop selling AEGs or through law enforcement efforts to prosecute people for being stupid in public. Or all of the above.

[Hawkeye [F.O.A.D.]]

It's an easy fix going forward. Just treat them as real. Require a $10 NICS check from the buyer (18+ for rifles / shotguns, 21 for pistols), get rid of the stupid orange tips.

The two biggest perceived problem areas for the hobby tend to be kids with Large-Mart guns and dumbasses (again, generally with Large-Mart guns). Mommy is unlikely to leave her child unsupervised with something that she had to do a OSP background check to buy, which fixes the first problem mostly. The second is going to stick around unless or until it becomes disadvantageous for stupid people to purchase AEGs, either by adding enough paperwork to convince the big-box stores to stop selling AEGs or through law enforcement efforts to prosecute people for being stupid in public. Or all of the above.

REALLY????? Your solution is to completely kill the sport? Making it so you have to pass a background check or be 18/21+ to own one will cause 99.9% to stop playing.

[Goliath17]

Yeah that's not a great solution Steve, what we need to do, as a community, is educate the n00bs and show the people who are skeptical of the sport who we really are. We need to show them that we're not all twelve year olds shooting each other with .12g bbs with sunglasses on out in the street. We all need to take steps and educate people on how to treat these plastic slingers. My two cents.

[Jester316]

Yeah that's not a great solution Steve, what we need to do, as a community, is educate the n00bs and show the people who are skeptical of the sport who we really are. We need to show them that we're not all twelve year olds shooting each other with .12g bbs with sunglasses on out in the street. We all need to take steps and educate people on how to treat these plastic slingers. My two cents.

The people who get to see the business end of a police gun are not part of this community. They are people who have no idea that organized airsoft exists. They see these "toys" being sold at Walmart, Fred Meyers, and other places and think they are like nerf guns. We cannot educate them, because they don't know we are here. We could go to the press, and in fact some have, yet they view us a militia training wannabe soldiers. They see no practical reason for airsoft.

We need to strictly enforce the age laws already on the books. Must be 18+ to purchase. That means if mommy or daddy leave a kid with an airsoft gun and than gets a visit from the police, mommy and daddy need to get a big a$$ fine. Make it financially horrible for people who abuse/misuse airsoft guns.

Until that happens, stupid people will do stupid things with airsoft guns, and there is absolutely nothing we can do about it.

[Guymeleth]

These guys caused a lockdown at a state correctional facility and had tons of police resources tied up because they were being stupid.
Oh, and plus they could have been shot if they did anything equally stupid when confronted by Police armed with real guns. Cops use their best judgment when dealing with possible airsoft situations but they see safety bulletins all the time about criminals painting guns orange, disguising them inside squirt guns, and other crazier things. In the end, orange tip or not, point an airsoft gun at a cop and you will probably get shot.
Stupid crap like this is why California is trying to pass SB798 to make all replicas neon colors or see through.

From what I heard these guys have played at outdoor and indoor fields before, they had a large amount of quality guns and knew it wasn't a good idea.

What you can do about it.
DONT PLAY WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE PERMISSION TO PLAY!!!
If you know someone who plays where they don't have permission tell them to stop. If they don't listen find someone who will make them. Their family, the property owners or even the cops.
Don't play were people who don't know what's going on can see you. Or tell everyone so they don't freak out.

Please do your part to keep or sport/hobby alive and not stupid and neon.

[Dexter]

Everyone saying "educate them" and no one mentioning that as a generality, the ones getting in this trouble aren't part of these "communities". They're normally just derps whom bought the guns and maybe gear and are out having some fun without thinking.

You can't educate someone if you have no way to connect with them.

[Alien_Hunter]

Everyone saying "educate them" and no one mentioning that as a generality, the ones getting in this trouble aren't part of these "communities". They're normally just derps whom bought the guns and maybe gear and are out having some fun without thinking.

You can't educate someone if you have no way to connect with them.

Which is why we need a prison for the criminally dumb.