Teens charged in Bend airsoft gun theft, shooting spree
(Update: Adds comment from Bend PD Lt. Juli McConkey on similarities to real guns)
Two teens have been charged in the weekend theft of an airsoft gun from the Big 5 Sporting Goods store in southeast Bend, police said. It was allegedly used to shoot at people in various nearby locations.
Police Lt. Juli McConkey told NewsChannel 21 on Tuesday they first received a call about a theft from Big 5 at about 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.
A short time later, McConkey said, police received a call regarding two teenagers shooting airsoft guns at other people in a wooded area near Fred Meyer in southeast Bend.
The police department received another call about teenagers who were shooting airsoft pellets at the Ponderosa Skatepark moments later.
Officers responded to the scene and noted the teenagers were two males, ages 15 and 16. They said the 16-year-old male was the one who shot the Airsoft gun. The 15-year-old male was involved in the theft but did not do the shooting, police said.
” It is totally inappropriate for them to be stealing and shooting at people, ” McConkey said. ” It’s a day and age when anybody can mistake an airsoft gun for an actual firearm, so it’s very irresponsible. ”
McConkey said no injuries were reported.
A Facebook post by a concerned parent on Sunday evening said her son was hanging out at Ponderosa Skatepark with his friends when there were ” a bunch of kids there with BB guns shooting kids. ” The post said ” they shot a kid and broke the skin. ”
NewsChannel 21 spoke to a skateboarder, Devon Walters, at the Ponderosa Skatepark. Walters moved to Bend in 2004 and considered it a safe place. He was surprised to hear about the shooting.
” I mean, I guess it’s not too serious, since it’s not a real gun, ” Walters said. ” This is just not the right community for that. ”
Both teens were charged with second-degree theft and the 16-year-old also was charged with menacing and harassment. Big 5 declined to be interviewed regarding the theft.
