A lot of people have gotten shot that way in the last few years. They deserve at least a reprimand for drawing their guns on a fucking comic book cosplay. I’m glad you’re ok.
Ever happened to anyone in cosplay? ... incidentally, just because someone is walking around in cosplay doesn't necessarily mean their weapon isn't real.
I'm glad this situation didn't escalate into anything dangerous. I stopped carrying weapon props while cosplaying as it's not worth the hassle of getting them examined and checked in. One year at SDCC, an overzealous security guard saw that I had a gun in a holster. It was a Gamo air pistol that sort of looked real by the grip. He asked if I got it checked, so I said "yes" and proceeded to show him, but then he forcefully grabbed my arm and tried to put me into a hammerlock so I couldn't brandish the gun. He pulled it out and confirmed my statement that it was checked; there were teddy bear stickers all over it, showing that it was approved. He then tried to justify his overreaction by saying, "Well, it looks real." After that, no more guns.
Keep one thing in minds when it comes to props like bows, swords, etc. Unless they're really over the top fantasy looking ones, then people from the outside often have no knowledge (and therefore no way) of telling what's a prop and what's a reenactment replica (a fully functional thing).
Ok, to put things in perspective for you non-New Yorkers: Nassau County IS NOT NEW YORK CITY. Completely different Law Enforcement. I live 3 miles from the Queens-NYC border. A fender bender on my block will call 4 cops cars in minutes. In Little Neck 3 miles over you're lucky with 1 car in four Hours. Those cops have no idea about NYCC. Mileage wise for those not familiar, it might seem close, but 10 miles in NYC might as well be in a different state. And as someone who has a bow and arrow, I can confirm it's not illegal. It comes into legal question in NYC if you hold it in a "threatening manner". So there's some interpretation there. Long Island IS NOT NYPD. As a precation, I always put my compound bow in a covered bag, but it isn't illegal unless you're pointing it at someone.
New video emerges of black cosplayer running for his life from cops who then shot and killed him Yes. https://io9.gizmodo.com/police-shoot-unarmed-batman-cosplayers-at-australian-se-1796770866 It has. There's been plenty of other 'near misses' too. I get that walking around carrying what appears to be a weapon (especially in a strange costume) can scare people who may not be aware a con is going on (so maybe bags for gear should be a general courtesy), but I don't think people should get shot if they carry a toy weapon in the open either. Even if the weapon is real and the person is a threat, there are other actions police can take (de-escalation, isolation, takedowns) beyond resorting to lethal force before fully understanding the situation.
I'm surprised this doesn't happen more often at conventions, especially outside of where they are being held.
Everyone who dresses as Deadpool should be fair game/open season. Wow, that was f#cked up, even for me...
American cops really need proper de-escalation training, partly so they don't instantly draw their guns over literally anything, partly because the fact that they'd have to actually engage their brains might put off some of those trigger-happy weirdos from trying to become cops in the first place.
Well, at cons I've been to they do that 'peace bonding' where they put orange plugs on cosplayers who use toy or prop guns.
Police aren't generally going to be sure what the orange cap or green ribbon or blue ziptie or whatever they're using to 'peace bond' means outside of the convention. 'peace bonding' was just to show that someone on con staff had looked over the weapon and determined it to be 'safe' (in the olden days of fandom, it often meant that a sword or weapons had been tied shut so it couldn't be drawn).
Hahaha wow. Sorry i don't mean to laugh but wtf. I like the part in stranger things where the kid sneaks up behind the cop and goes bang bang bang with his cap gun. xD that kid would be in the papers now days.
That 9 yr old was a hulking grown man. An unstoppable beast. Officers Maple Doughnut and Apple Fritter feared for their lives. The paper can conclude that they had no choice but to shoot the terrifying 9 year old man 17 times and then beat and scream at his sobbing mother, most likely some sort of delinquent herself.
NYPD was briefed last week about NYCC so no incidents happened. I like about an hour away from the city, so Nassau cops didn't have the same briefing.
