SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) - Law enforcement officials in Sioux City are urging people not to use a cellphone case that looks like a gun, saying the device could be confused for the real thing.
The case could put people who carry it in danger, Sioux City Police Chief Doug Young told the Sioux City Journal (https://bit.ly/1HDTveX ).
The case is designed to hold a smartphone in what would be the barrel of a handgun. It includes a pistol handle and trigger guard.
Young said the gun-shaped phone cases could lead to more emergency calls from the public reporting people with guns. Iowa law allows gun owners to carry firearms in the open, such as in a holster.
The phone case looks like a real gun if it’s tucked into a waistband or pocket to hide the phone and show only the handle, Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew said.
Drew said he worries what could happen if someone who had such a device tucked into a waistband is confronted by police.
“If he tugs on that pistol grip, we’re going to assume it’s a gun,” Drew said. “That’s the scary part. It’s a split-second decision the officer has to make. You could have something tragic happen.”
Drew said a confrontation could occur if someone carrying a real firearm sees the case sticking out of someone else’s pocket or waistband.
“Of all the scenarios, I can’t imagine any ending positively,” Drew said.
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Information from: Sioux City Journal, https://www.siouxcityjournal.com
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