Iowa city advances ban on replica guns

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — The leaders of a northwest Iowa city are considering prohibiting people from carrying some types of “toy” firearms, which police say are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from real guns.

The Sioux City council members tentatively approved an ordinance on Monday that would ban pellet and BB guns. The proposal wouldn’t ban Nerf or squirt guns, or devices that shoot suction-cup darts.

The city attorney’s office said two more readings and votes are required at future council meetings before the ordinance could be adopted.

Sioux City Police Capt. Mark Kirkpatrick said officers have had multiple encounters with replica weapons and faced the question of whether to use deadly force. People carrying toy firearms tend to be teenagers or young adults seeking personal protection or street credibility, he said.

While no one in the city has died from a police encounter while carrying a toy firearm, there are more than 50 such deaths nationwide each year, according to the Police Department.

Councilman Pete Groetken acknowledged that the proposal is “probably not going to be a huge deterrent,” but said it’s important that “Everyone understands clearly that the lookalikes make it a very challenging situation for police and they would be very smart and wise not to do that.”