Dale City, Va. –– A girl who was shot in the chest last week with a pellet gun remains hospitalized in critical condition. Now police remind residents BB and pellet guns are not toys.
The 12-year-old victim was shot at her home in Dale City by a 17-year-old boy who now faces a felony charge of aggravated malicious wounding.
If convicted, the charge could bring with it 20 years in prison and or a $20,000 fine, said Prince William spokeswoman Sharon Richardson.
Police say many times the guns are given as gifts during the holidays, but some models are capable of firing projectiles at 1,000-feet-per-second.
That kind of power can seriously injure or kill someone, said Richardson.
While Virginia has laws governing the use of BB and pellet guns, they are considered to be non-powder guns and are exempt from most state and federal regulations.
Police say it’s important children don’t play with pellet or BB guns, and that toy guns should be bright colored and easy for others – including police officers – to determine if a gun is real or not.
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