Colored guns present a public safety issue

Carmen Fugate likes to be in fashion, whether she’s out to dinner or out to shoot a couple of rounds at the firing range.

So Mrs. Fugate, owner of Fugate’s Firearms in Calhoun, Tenn., sports not just any pistol — but one that is cute, small and baby blue.

“When you go to town, are you going to buy the plain sweater, or are you going to get one with a little style?” the certified firearms instructor said. “This is the same thing.”

But local law enforcement officials have become concerned as multicolored guns have gained popularity in recent years among those not nearly as safety-conscious as Mrs. Fugate.

After years of seeing toy guns painted to look real, police across the country have started to see real guns painted to look more like toys, Assistant Chattanooga Police Chief Mike William’s said.

“It’s hard enough under stress and in low light for officers to identify a firearm,” Chief William’s said. “This is another factor in a decision of use of force. If the officer doesn’t act quickly enough, they can end up dead. But if they act too quickly and it turns out not to be real, a citizen could be shot.”

Colored guns present a public safety issue, because police officers are taught always to assume the threat of a weapon is real, said Capt. Randy Dunn, who commands the department’s patrols in the Brained and East Brained areas.

“With the way toy guns have been manufactured, you should never assume it’s a toy gun,” Capt. Dunn said. “Weapons have been designed in every shape and fashion. There are even guns made to look like cell phones and pagers and flashlights.”

Chief William’s recently issued an e-mail alert about colored guns to Chattanooga officers, warning them that it is “something to keep in mind when on patrol. ... (D)esigner colored weapons are readily available in a variety of shades and safety concerns about these weapons (are) being voiced nationwide.”

The nonpartisan, Washington, D.C.-based Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence strives to educate both police and civilians about the dangers of colored guns, said Robert Tessaro, the organization’s associate director for law enforcement relations.

“It’s a serious concern for the welfare of law enforcement and the safety of children,” Mr. Tessaro said.

Since colored guns first entered the market several years ago, they have been marketed primarily toward women, Mrs. Fugate said.

“Women are drawn to it, definitely,” she said. “Any time I show (my blue gun) to a lady they think, ‘Oh, can I get it in pink? Can I get it in purple?’”

More “manly” colors have since been introduced, she said.

Chief Williams has monitored a site from Jim’s Gun Supply in Baraboo, Wis., which sells custom-coated guns in designs such as “Candy Apple Zebra” and “Afghan Krinker Plinker.”

But colored models have been slow to sell in Chattanooga, according to Hal Shaw, owner of Ammo Dump on Highway 58.

“I had one a year and a half, two years ago, and it laid there forever,” Mr. Shaw recalled. “Finally I called the manufacturer, and they agreed to swap out the colored frame. I got it back and it sold a week later.”

Mrs. Fugate said gun handlers, not the type of gun, cause dangerous situations.

“I’m a pro-gun person. However, I’m pro-safety,” she said. “If you’re a responsible firearm owner, you’re a responsible firearm owner. The color should have no bearing.”