Family grateful for Texas City PD's handling of 911 call made over kids playing with Nerf guns

[catsudon]

Source: abc13

"They were running around the yard and they had Nerf wars," said Adriana Reyna. "They were wrestling and just enjoying family time."

However, panic quickly set in when they saw police lights and Texas City officers walking toward their home. It was then that the children's demeanor changed.

"They were very frightened," Adriana said. "All of us were. We did not have a clue what was going on."

It turned out someone called 911 on the family, stating there were gunshots and people fighting, according to Adriana.

Read more: https://abc13.com/texas-city-police-respond-to-family-party-called-for-alleged-shooting-call-of-kids-with-nerf-guns/10586505/

---

the person who made that 911 call was trying to get those kids killed and should be charged

[RockRaven]

1. Attempted murder-by-proxy...

Families should not have to be grateful for not being indiscriminately killed by cops. That should be the fucking expectation. For everybody.

[llashram]

2. mean despicable people

call in bullshit like this just to see someone possibly killed. Especially if the alleged shooter is of a race/culture they don't like or fear. Heard shots from nerf guns?

[marble falls]

3. I have white privilege. This is my white burden: look for the closest neighbor who looks ...

... exactly like me - it's either that guy or wife.

Why can't people leave people causing no problems alone?

It breaks my heart to have an adult screw up the innocent fun of kids.

[stillcool]

4. the good news of the day

family survives visit from the police due to an anonymous caller.

[Rebl2]

5. Sounds like a new

type of swatting to me. Despicable.

[The Unmitigated Gall]

6. Now can we have the rat-bastard

Scumbag who tried to have these kids killed?

[BobTheSubgenius]

7. I totally agree.

Whoever called 911 deserves criminal charges.

[BradAllison]

8. Feels like an Onion story (n/m)

[Hekate]

17. You think this is funny? Just asking. nt

[BradAllison]

19. It's written in the tone of an Onion story

Last edited Fri May 7, 2021, 07:54 PM - Edit history (2)

Like the parents were thanking the hero cop for not opening fire.

Said nothing about it being funny. Sheesh.

[obamanut2012]

23. The Onion is a satirical humor site

So, it is logical the poster would think you were snarking.

[BradAllison]

29. One can state that something sounds like satire.....

While passively observing how unfortunate that it is not, in fact, satire. It's called leaving the unspoken part unsaid.

The Onion themselves admits their place in comedy is fading because you can't make this shit up anymore.

[summer_in_TX]

9. Every damn day.

Horrible, mean, life-threatening things are happening every damn day.

Thank God nothing tragic happened to the kids and family.

I hope the person who made that call is held accountable. Named and shamed at the very least.

[locks]

10. For many years

I have worked with so many great people trying to bring down the number of gun deaths every day in our beloved country but we have more guns than ever, more deaths than ever, more suffering and less protected than we ever have been. We don't stand a chance to change gun laws or gun lovers or stop killing..
One small change that would make a real difference is if we stop letting our children have any type of toy gun or anything that resembles a gun, not allow war games in our homes or schools or play and stop the manufacture and sale of all toy weapons. Our children would soon learn that guns are not toys and are only made for killing.

[Grokenstein]

11. "Thank you for not murdering us, officers!"

Cop: "Just doing our jobs protecting the community, folks!"
(cop winks at camera; heroic theme music swells)
Voiceover: "Texas City Pee Dee. No bad apples here!"

1. How bad are things, that we're relieved and astonished that a 9-1-1 call didn't end with cops emptying their guns into a child with a NERF gun?

2A. If this caller exists, they need to go to prison.

2B. I have become so paranoid that I am suspicious that a call was even made. You know how stories of officers rescuing animals populate the news after a shooting incident? That's no accident. The feel-good coverage of this non-incident seems like the same thing, dialed up to eleven.

[Dan]

12. This is what I would do,

I would contact the Police department to obtain the phone number (or contact information) of the person that made the call.

Then, I would write a Newsletter to my community, sharing the information on the party that they kids were having. I would identify that they were playing a Nerf wars, wrestling and just having childish fun. Then, I would follow up with a concerned person (providing the contact information) contacted the police, and they responded and acted with professionalism, which was appreciated. Then, I would go on to say, that in these times of what are contentious relationships between the Police and communities, where there have been accidential shooting or overreactions, we were concerned when the police arrived. Then, I would say, we didn't understand why the police was called, but if the person (contact information) was concerned about something, in the future they should feel free to contact us and maybe we could address their concerns, about children playing. Then, I would end by saying, at least this time there was not a dreadful accident where someone was killed because of a mistaken overreaction.

[cannabis_flower]

13. I'm gonna go out on a limb here.

Not everyone who calls the police is trying to get kids killed.

Yesterday was Cinco de May. Lots of people do celebratory gunfire. Sometimes stray bullets kill people. It could be that gunfire was heard. It may or may not have come from the residence that was reported. It could be that guns were fired in the area and the caller thought they were coming from that residence but it was somewhere close by.

It’s also possible that guns were fired from there but were put away by the time the police came.

People should be allowed to call the police when they hear gunshots. The police should be smart enough not to shoot kids with nerf guns.

[Demsrule86]

32. Really? I sincerely doubt it and calls like that

Should be prosecuted…

[cannabis_flower]

36. Sincerely doubt what?

Sure calls should be prosecuted if you can prove the caller had malicious intent. But that might be pretty hard to prove.

[BumRushDaShow]

14. I think many of us on DU remember when "cap guns" were popular for kids

and yeah, they were made so they almost sounded "real" when the hammer hit the dot on the strip.





This is a "modern" version using that paper strip -

Those, water pistols, bb guns and similar have been banned here in Philly for decades for obvious reasons. And it's sad when you even have something as large and colorful and outright bizarre-looking as a "nerf gun" potentially being considered something ripe for a "Karen" or a "Ken" to call 911 about.

[cannabis_flower]

16. Since we don't have access to the call to the police...

I don’t think we can jump to conclusions. The caller may or may not have identified the exact location of the “gunshots”. They might have done what I have done many times when I’ve heard gunshots and said something like “I heard gunshots. I don’t know exactly where they are coming from but it seemed to be north of my condo and pretty close”. The police then come investigate and assume this is what they heard.

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo and many people celebrate with gunfire.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. The fact that the LEO went right to THAT house

with people actively enjoying themselves on a FRONT yard, suggests they were targeted.

This wasn't in the pitch dark at night. It was still light and the news report even shows a pic that was snapped of the kids with the officer next to his vehicle and it was just getting to dusk. And that neighborhood is not like a densely packed urban one with 60 houses per block where sounds can echo all over the place.

Here in Philly there are a number of people who shoot off guns on New Year's Eve (like other cities unfortunately), but again, that is at night.

Life for POC nowadays has become like a "sundown town", now worse. You can't be out at night and now you can't fucking go out and be on your front during the day. But then we have seen plenty of videos of that. I feel sorry for any family who has boys.

[Demsrule86]

33. Yes it does.

[malthaussen]

15. When I was a kid, we had the cops on our street about once a week...

... but never for something as tame as playing War.

-- Mal

[BumRushDaShow]

22. What was "funny" about being targeted

by some fucking racist neighbor who called police to harass a family with children playing in the family's front yard?

They were fortunate that the responding officer was trained appropriately. He correctly assessed the situation and converted what could have been a tense situation, into a positive one that goes a long way to help improve the relationships between the police and marginalized citizens who they are supposed to ALSO serve and protect vs racially profiling, stalking, and arresting because some racist demanded it.

Welcome to DU.

[marble falls]

25. Nice job!

[BumRushDaShow]

26. ...

!!!

[Bleacher Creature]

27. I think we all know the answer to that question.

[BumRushDaShow]

28. I know I do

[Demsrule86]

34. Excellent job!

[BumRushDaShow]

35. Well Elvis has left the building

And thanks!!! Hope all is well with you and the family!!

[gopiscrap]

30. welcome to DU

[marble falls]

24. Look for the nearest neighbor who looks like me. I'm starting to understand Rachel Dolezal.

[BumRushDaShow]

38. Are you and Edyth neighbors?

[Jim G.]

39. They Are Now

[BumRushDaShow]

40. Hope the move

wasn't too much of a hassle.

[apnu]

37. Nosy fucking neighbors.

I bet some neighbor was annoyed that someone was having fun and called the cops to shut them up. I fucking hate those passive-agressive people.