The Madison Police Department was notified Wednesday afternoon about a speeding vehicle on Nakoma Road that contained a fake firearm.
Police cited a 16-year-old Madison male with charges of speeding and possessing a BB gun under the age of 18. Officers asked if the teen was carrying a firearm, which he initially denied, but soon admitted there was a fake firearm in the center console.
Police uncovered a BB gun that was modified to look like a 9mm handgun. The BB gun’s orange tip was removed and it was painted entirely black.
Officer Joel DeSpain took this opportunity to convey the dangers of carrying “look-alike weapons.”
“Officers must make quick decisions when dealing with firearms, and carrying a look-alike weapon like this one could lead to tragic consequences, depending on how it was being displayed,” DeSpain said in the incident report.
The arrest comes on the heels of the Tamir Rice controversy. The 12-year-old was killed while carrying a BB gun in 2014. The case continued Wednesday as no vote took place on the officer’s charges, which cleared him of all charges.
