For myself I play airsoft and love it however all my airsoft guns are properly marked and we only play on private property with the owners written permission. I agree if some stupid gang banger wants to point a toy gun at a police officer then he is doing the gene pool a favor by being shot. That is even dumber than bringing a knife to a gun fight.
I agree with Stainless though that there are bigger issues they should be considering than legislating toy guns.
kneejerk, and especially kneejerk "for the children" legislation always leaves me pissed off
that being said, there is another scenario that has happened that nobody mentions
criminals painting REAL guns with orange tips so LEO's etc. will hesitate when they see them... and THAT is also a concern
iow, person presents fake gun that looks real they run real risk of getting perforated. thats bad
person presents real gun that is modified to look fake, they run real chance of getting a cop or any llawful carrier defending self or others to decide NOT to shoot and gives them a substantial tactical advantage
that's bad too
fwiw, i've been dispatched to a few incidents involving kids with what turn out to be airsoft guns, but where the callers etc. are hysterical about kids with guns. usually, it's at least somewhat obvious (dressed in camo, dropped off by soccer mom or whatever), but still what it really comes down to - is people exercising a little common sense
fwiw, some of these guns look very real. we had a pedestrian call in a handgun dumped in a ditch by the side of the road. when my partner got there, the guy was pointing to the gun just a few feet away. it was an airsoft. but even sitting there looking at it STATIC (iow not being waved in somebody's hand at a distance), he thought it was real
obviously, it would be profoundly unethical for any gun manufacturer to make a real gun that LOOKS like a replica (orange tip etc.) and legislation aside, when and if a tragedy ensued, that's one of the few gun industry lawsuit cases i could imagine i would support
i've seen bangers who carry airsoft guns (and.or had them concealed in their car etc.) and even admit they use them for "protection" since they are convicted felons, so they figure they are "safe"
well, whatever.
obviously, under the RCW, its still a crime to present them in a manner, and especially during the commission of a violent felony, such that they appear to be a legitimate gun
iow, rob a bank with an airsoft gun and it's still armed robbery. the actual firearms enhancement statutes require a serviceable firearm, but the laws regarding "armed robbery" only require the person REASONABLY perceived it as a firearm which a person would