(UK)Reporter has 'gun' aimed at her

[Geezah]

A BBC South reporter has had what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon aimed at her while covering a story about anti-social behaviour.

Bournemouth and Poole reporter Emma Douglas was filming in West Howe, in Bournemouth, at the launch of Prime Minister Tony Blair's Respect campaign.

Two youths appeared as she was taking shots of a basketball court and one pulled out what appeared to be a gun.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42482000/jpg/_42482039_gun1.jpg

He then aimed it directly at the camera before running off.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42481000/jpg/_42481923_gun2.jpg

'Toy or real?'

"It all happened very quickly," said Ms Douglas, who recorded the entire incident.

"I was a bit shocked, we are still not sure whether it was a toy or real?"

"I hope it was a toy."

West Howe is one of the government's 40 "respect zones" in England, which will receive extra funding to fight anti-social behaviour.

BBC South has told Dorset Police that it will make the footage available to them in the hope that it will help to identify those involved.

Link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/6288547.stm)

......................

[Hydro]

It's obviously semi-automatic.

[shocker1]

It's obviously semi-automatic.
Nah, bunch of anti-social airsofters.

[Hydro]

Semi-automatic is one of those scary buzzwords, like "assault weapon".

[shocker1]

Now that I think about it your right. Semi-Automatic is tossed around like some evil lable. I have a few weapons, my least destructive would be labled as an evil WMD. It is a Daisy CO2 semi-automatic BB pistol, does one hell of a job on the starlings gettin in the dogs food.

[Geezah]

It's one step down from Automatic, another buzzword they like to use for a self-reloading pistol.

[Indiana Jones]

Beirut offhand. Would´nt have hit her anyway. I second the "airsoft" assumption.

[kosse]

Smells like hysteria...and airsoft.

[Calanen]

The sort of people who have access to real weapons like that in gun control Western countries would not draw attention to themselves by pointing them at a reporter.

I think the police are likely to find that it's some street hoodlum with an airsoft gun, replica or other form of toy that was acting tough. Real heavy crims, with access to real machine pistols, do not pull them out to wave around like an idiot before a camera.

[a_very_ex_STAB]

Oh noes!
It's a typhoon in a tea cup.

[Durandal]

...which will receive extra funding to fight anti-social behaviour.

How very big brother of them.

[Geezah]

Teenager charged over gun threat

A teenager has been charged with a firearms offence after a BBC reporter was threatened with what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon.

Bournemouth and Poole reporter Emma Douglas was filming in West Howe, in Bournemouth, at the launch of Prime Minister Tony Blair's Respect campaign.

As she was filming a youth pulled out what appeared to be a gun and pointed it at her and then ran off.

A 17-year-old was released on bail to appear at a youth court on 1 February.

A police spokesman said he was charged with an offence under the Firearms Act 1968.

He added that a weapon recovered by officers had been examined and confirmed as a BB gun.

Link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/6289863.stm)

Word of the day here would be intent.

[Durandal]

I am still floored that they consider a BB gun a firearm...

[Geezah]

I am still floored that they consider a BB gun a firearm...

It's all about intent, after all you can be charged with a firearm offence if you rob a bank and just say you have a firearm without actually showing it, over here can't you???

Firearm offence on top of robbery that is.

[Ghostryder]

Hahaha, What a completely ridiculous thing to point at a camera.

[seraosha]

Stupid kid.

Good luck to all the brit airsofters, the fall-out from this won't be pleasant.