BB Gun Accident Serves as Reminder About Safety

Wesley Chapel 12-year-old Tommy Gallagher was accidentally shot with a BB gun last month by his younger brother.

The incident, while not fatal, left Tommy with a pellet lodged in his brain and the prospect of intense rehab in the months ahead, according to media reports. 

But it also left area parents with a powerful reminder that BB guns and other non-powder pistols and rifles are not to be taken lightly. Sure, they don’t pack the punch of a traditional gun, but they still can be dangerous and even deadly.

“Always treat a gun like it is loaded,” said Pasco County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Douglas Tobin, who said the projectile that hit Tommy traveled through the eye and sinuses and into his brain. “Never point it at someone, even if you believe it is not loaded.”

Florida law says a child younger than 16 years of age who is using a firearm, BB gun, airsoft gun or pellet gun must be supervised and in the presence of an adult who is acting with consent of the child’s parent. And be advised that all Florida gun laws apply to BB guns and other replica toy guns, meaning a child cannot shoot in public road ways, carry a toy gun concealed, or use the gun in any other illegal manner.

Tobin added it’s important when you have a gun in the house to have a conversation with the whole family about gun safety. Another precaution is making sure that any guns are safely locked up where children cannot access them without an adult.

“If a child at any age is using an air gun, BB gun or real gun, he or she needs to be supervised,” Tobin said. “A child needs to earn the right to use a gun.”

A problem, experts say, is that some parents do not realize non-powder guns are dangerous because they are typically powered by air compression, CO2 compression or spring action and shoot projectiles of hard plastic or metal rather than traditional bullets. Still, the potential for harm is real.

According to a 2004 report prepared by the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention, roughly four Americans are killed every year by non-powder guns and thousands more are injured annually.

A wide array of airsoft, pellet and BB guns are available at gun shops and big-box retailers such as in New Tampa.

Patch visited a gun shop on Fowler Avenue. The owner did not want to talk, but New Tampa resident and customer James Hollingsworth said adults need to treat BB guns like any other weapon.

“It is the parent’s responsibility to determine the level of their child’s maturity as it relates to the toy or gun the child is using," he said.

Dr. Danielle Laraque, a pediatrician and chair of the Department of Pediatrics and vice president of the Infants & Children's Hospital of Brooklyn in New York, agreed.

“Across the United States in the year 2000, there were an estimated 21,840 injuries related to non-powder guns, with approximately four percent resulting in hospitalization,” she wrote via e-mail, citing the 2004 study by the Academy of Pediatrics.

Looking to avoid an accident? Consider these tips from the National Rifle Association: 

• Always have the gun pointed in a safe direction.
• Always keep your finger off of the trigger until ready to shoot.
• Keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
• Know how to use the gun safely and perform regular maintenance.

To find out more about gun safety, log onto the National Rifle Association website. Also, bb-guns.org lists various safety tips.