Needham Police Issue Warning After Gel Blaster Incident Resembles Real Rifle

The Needham Police Department is warning residents about buying toy firearms that look realistic after a gel blaster indistinguishable from a real rifle was seen at a local business.

"At first glance, it is indistinguishable from a real rifle, especially from 40 to 50 feet away and being pointed at people," police said in a statement shared on social media.

Officials are urging parents and guardians to check safety markings and colors before purchasing, and to avoid toys that resemble real firearms.

"This is not our first incident involving these types of items," Needham police said. 

The recent warning comes amid a broader pattern of concerns about gel blasters that have surfaced in Massachusetts over the years.

In June 2023, police officials locked down the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School after a student there pulled out a gel blaster and fired at other students. Four high school students in Billerica were arrested in February 2022 and charged with assault after they were accused of firing gel blasters and injuring teens in Tewksbury, according to a CBS News Boston WBZ-TV report.

A reporter with WBZ-TV spoke with Michael Goodman, owner of P&L Paintball in Bridgewater, who has gel guns at the shop, but they are plastic, brightly colored toys.

While cities like New York have rules against gun blasters and BB guns being all black, Massachusetts does not.  

Goodman doesn't believe regulations will address the problem, since toy guns typically come with an orange tip or other markings indicating they're fake. People still remove the tip to make the weapon look real, he said.

He argued that parents need to provide proper education and be strict about how their children are using the toys and carrying them around.