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  • 2016-03-03 (xsd:date)
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  • Cell Phone Guns (fr)
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  • On 26 February 2016, Facebook user Karl de la Guerra published an Officer Warning post alongside several pictures showing a gun disguised as a cell phone which was presented a threat to police: The photographs were shared tens of thousands of times, often as a warning to officers to remain vigilant, but the pictured item was neither illegal nor widely available at the time. According to the Facebook page IDEAL Conceal — Patent Pending, the depicted weapon was marketed to licensed gun owners as a discreet method of carrying: On 22 February 2016, the page posted an image indicating that the manufacturer advocated the guns to protect (not harm) police officers: In a separate post, the company responded to a user interested in purchasing the concept gun: Subsequent comments indicated that the concept was marketed at gun enthusiasts, not criminals: IDEAL Conceal's website listed a projected price ($395) and a target market: On 28 February 2016, de la Guerra posted an updated about his original claim (but didn't delete the first one): The rumor strongly resembled earlier warnings about purported Super Soaker modifications as new gang trends, or a claim that gang members were removing lug nuts from officers' vehicles. All instances seemed to involve warnings rooted in things folks imagined criminals might be doing, rather than information about things that criminals actually were doing. IDEAL Conceal told us that the device was designed for officers (and others) to carry guns discreetly and legally, and that the manufacturers are strong supporters of law enforcement: The gun's makers expressed support for both police and the National Rifle Association, and the stealth gun didn't appear to be in any way a covert criminal effort to get the jump on cops. Also, people reaching for actual phones and wallets have been shot by officers in the past, making the premise that carrying a phone-shaped gun in your pocket was an effective way to target police officers extremely shaky. However, cell phone guns were not unheard of before this. In the past fifteen years, various warnings have been sounded about guns disguised as phones (and other everyday objects) but this is the first time that they appear to have been marketed to mainstream gun enthusiasts in the United States. (en)
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