California deputy sheriffs this week killed a teenager carrying a pellet-gun replica of an AK-47 assault rifle.
The weapon's orange tip, required on all toy guns, had been removed. And parents of the late Andy Lopez, age 13, knew it.
When the two Sonoma County officers ordered Lopez to "drop the gun," the teen turned with the gun pointing toward the officers and their marked squad car flashing emergency lights and chirping its siren.
Lopez, struck by seven bullets, also had a replica toy gun jammed in his belt and was walking to a friend's house when the shooting occurred.
The deputies said they did not initially realize that Lopez, wearing a hoodie, was a boy and not a threatening gunman. They are on paid leave during an internal investigation.
Andy's parents should be charged with criminal negligence for allowing the orange plug to be removed and for letting their son carry the modified toy gun on public property in Santa Rosa.
And all replica pellet guns and water pistols should be covered entirely with orange paint. (3 NOVEMBER 2013)
