While sad, the police were completely justified in shooting the boy.
He was displaying what appeared to be a real handgun. And he pointed it at the police, after being directed to put it down. You have to wonder if the boy was actively trying to commit "suicide by cop".
The gun displayed in the article is without any "identifier" that marks it as a "toy". I have noted that there are many BB/Pellet guns that look very real. Whereas, most toy guns are now made of some day-glo colored plastic.
I have two Airsoft guns patterned after a Sig-Sauer P 226 and a Colt 1911A1.
The only indication that these guns are not real is the bright orange ends of the gun barrels. Otherwise they look very real.
For my safety, I only use them in the house or in the back yard. I also keep them under lock and key, so my kids can't use them in the manner described in the news article.
I feel for both the family of the boy, and the cops who shot him. But, I'm sure that most cops in the same situation would have done the same.
