Two teens were struck by plastic BBs fired from an airsoft gun out of a passing vehicle on Roanoke Avenue yesterday afternoon at around 3 o’clock.
There were no reported injuries, Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller said.
The shots were fired from a gray-colored older model four-door Nissan on Roanoke Avenue in the vicinity of Ackerly Street, the chief said. Three suspects within the vehicle appear to be in their late teens, he said.
The teens who were struck were a boy and a girl, 14-15 years old, Hegermiller said. A third teen walking with them, a girl, was not struck, he said.
Airsoft guns fire plastic BBs that are 6mm in diameter. In contrast, traditional BB guns fire 4mm metal or lead BBs. An airsoft gun’s projectiles travel at a slower speed than BBs fired from a traditional BB gun. The composition, size and speed of air soft gun projectiles make them much less likely to inflict serious injury than regular BBs, which are capable of causing serious or even deadly injuries.
New York law prohibits anyone under age 16 from possession and airsoft gun. Airsoft guns must either have an orange strip that runs the whole length of the barrel or be made of brightly colored materials not found in conventional firearms. Without those two distinctions, an airsoft gun is considered a firearm.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Riverhead Police Department at 631-727-4500.
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