special needs kid arrested at gun point for "rifle umbrella"

[Drache]

A Richmond mother is angry that her special needs son was sold an umbrella that looked so much like a rifle police confronted the young man with guns drawn.

Alana Grossman is not upset with the police – she believes they had no choice but to draw their weapons, because they believed her son had a real rifle – but can't understand why such items are sold in the first place.

"Someone called police, and rightfully so," said Alana Grossman, whose son, 21, was delivering newspapers on Nov. 16 on a Richmond street, on Thursday.

"They showed up, pointed four guns at him, and asked him to put it on the bench. But he was at risk and could have been killed. They took it away and there were no charges.

"But I back the police 150 per cent," added Grossman, who was only told about the incident Wednesday night by her son. "They shouldn't take chances and they have to be as cautious as possible.

"But I need for people not to sell this stuff. My anger is with my son and those who sold it to him."

Grossman said she knew her son had bought the rifle umbrella a few months ago at the Richmond Mind Games store – which has since closed — but forbid him from taking it out of their house.

Nevertheless, he took it with him Nov. 16 while delivering papers and someone called Richmond RCMP, believing it was man on the street with a real gun.

"We received a report about a male with long-barrelled rifle over his shoulder," said Cpl. Sherrdean Turley, a media relations officer.

"The appropriate action was taken and he (Grossman's son) was asked to step away. They found out it was an umbrella in the shape of a gun."

Turley agreed with Grossman that such items shouldn't be sold because they can be misidentified as real weapons.

"It's really, really unfortunate that these items are being sold. If it looks like a weapon, (officers) have to take appropriate action."

She noted that it's not just umbrellas, and that even water pistols and pellet guns can resemble real weapons.

Meanwhile, Shery Varmo, manager of Mind Games in Metrotown, said about 40 to 50 of the rifle umbrellas were sold at their stores in a "one-time shipment" after customers requested them.

"I apologize for what happened," said Varmo of the Richmond incident involving one of their rifle umbrellas, which sold for about $20. "I've sent an email to our buying team. They said they will not order any more."

Varmo said that Grossman's is the only complaint he's received about the rifle umbrellas.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/rifle+umbrella+prompts+Richmond+Mounties+pull+their+guns/7869315/story.html

[RECHRGD]

What about the grade school kids that were suspended for making a pistol image with their hand?  Where on Earth did they buy a hand that could do that??

[Drache]

What about the grade school kids that were suspended for making a pistol image with their hand?  Where on Earth did they buy a hand that could do that??

There was also a kid who was suspended for throwing a "paper gun" (a piece of paper ripped and taped into the shape of a gun that her grandfather made) into the garbage and a teacher finding it.

[Tilar]

Looks like common sense has totally left this old world. Holy crap, you gotta pull a gun on a kid with an umbrella? probably a good thing though, it might have been loaded and could have gone off and hurt someone. 

[Cooter]

Common sense woulda been maybe not having anything like that right after a school shooting has the coutry in an uproar over guns??

[41husk]

I bet the parents of school shooting victims don't think it's ridiculous.  Just saying!

[bull]

Funny how jacked up the mother is about it and yet she somehow thinks she is 0% responsible, even though she knew he had it. Did she think it was an indoor-only umbrella? Common sense isn't that common anymore.

[Troy]

Common sense woulda been maybe having anything like that right after a school shooting has the coutry in an uproar over guns??

Uh, Canada eh.

People are idiots. They are enabled by other idiots. The rest are doomed.

Troy

[mrsskip68]

If the mother was upset that her son purchased the umbrella gun, she should have taken it back to store for a refund, or dispose of it all together! I mean come on, the kid is challenged, therefore he may not make the best decisions. Duh! To me that means she needed to be even more protective and cautious of her sons actions. It is her home afterall and she is responsible for what goes in and out of said home. Just my  from a mom.

[stripedelete]

1.   Someone sees local "slow" kid with what looks like a wrapped up rifle and calls police.  Correct
2.   Police draw guns in an effort to insure no widows and or orphans are created within their ranks that day. Correct
3.   Police take gun away and send kid home.  Very "Mayberry" in light of recent events, IMO.  Correct
4.   Mom says the STORE should not sell something like that.   WTF!

It kind of makes you wonder what Nancy Lanza would be saying today if ..........

[Fitz73Chrgr]

That's a sweet umbrella.

[redmist]

Yeah awesome!!

i am going to get one., I like it.