Juvenile Found with Toy Gun at Annie's Playground: Sheriff

A toy gun caused a scare Thursday afternoon at Annie’s Playground in Fallston.

A concerned citizen called authorities at 4:16 p.m. Thursday to report there was a juvenile with what appeared to be a firearm at the playground, according to Cristie Kahler, spokeswoman for the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to the 800 block of Smith Lane and found a 14-year-old boy with what looked like a rifle, Kahler said.

Upon investigation, deputies determined the object was actually a toy gun that appeared real, according to Kahler.

“The orange in color cap had been removed, leaving no obvious visual signs that this was a toy,” Kahler told Patch.

Determining the teen posed no threat, authorities say they turned him over to the custody of his mother.

According to Kahler, there were no charges.

By federal law, manufacturers of toy guns must ensure they have an orange tip; are made of translucent material; or have bright colors somewhere on them to make it clear they are not weapons.

Earlier this month, New York’s attorney general announced the state was fining major retailers like Walmart and Amazon a combined total of $300,000 for shipping guns that look real to New York, where there is an added requirement that toy guns are not made of aluminum and must be completely brightly colored, CNN reported.

Screenshot of Annie’s Playground from video by Robert McArtor/YouTube.