The Baltimore City Council gave its unanimous preliminary approval Monday to a citywide ordinance that would ban toy guns that look real, with fines of up to $1,000 for violations. Final passage of the bill is expected by December, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, as well as the Baltimore Police Department, support the proposed ban. City Council President Bernard Young said, “It’s something we should do for our children.”
Apparently Baltimore’s political class would rather go after fake guns than real criminals, who are responsible for more than 800 shootings so far this year and are putting “Charm City” on track to break yet another record for violence. And although BPD chief of staff Andrew Vetter blamed replica guns for armed robberies, it’s unclear how a possible $1,000 fine would stop robbers not deterred by the existing penalty—already on the books—of 20 years in prison.
