AVON — An Avon Community School Corporation school resource officer is urging students to be mindful of when and where they use toy guns after a group of students, inspired by a social media trend, brought some to school.
The warning has circled through Avon High School for nearly two weeks now.
It all started with a rumor of a paintball battle after school on the last Friday before school before spring break. According to the rumor, students had planned to bring SplatRBall guns, a full-auto and semi-automatic electric toy gun that shoots water and ball bead ammo.
“If you are going to use these a controlled environment is your best option, and what I mean by a controlled environment is someplace where everyone involved knows what you are using,” School Resource Officer Richard Craig said.
In a video posted to TikTok, Craig says students brought them to school and used them in the parking lots.
He wants students to remember there's a time and a place to use guns — even if they're not real ones.
WRTV spoke to a student that said Avon High School leaders delivered a message on the loudspeaker that week warning about students using toy guns.
“Having something that resembles a real firearm in the hands of a teenager is what concerns me — and that's where my concern started from. 'Hey, this is fun to do this in the parking lot' to 'Hey this isn’t a good idea.' Kids needs to leave these at home,” Craig said.
“I understand that some of you are choosing to shoot these at each other after school,” Craig said in the TikTok video.
Craig said he is concerned some people might not be able to recognize it’s a fake gun.
Randi Tolentino, who has a child that goes to Avon High School, agrees with Officer Craig's message.
“As a parent, don’t do it. It's a toy. It doesn’t belong at school. Just use common sense, kids,” Tolentino said.
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