ALBANY, N.Y. (WENY) – Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to strengthen restrictions on imitation weapons in New York, which can be used to commit crimes.
The new law makes imitation weapons easily identifiable, preventing them from allowing police to identify a device as fake when assessing threats.
“My top priority as governor is keeping New Yorkers safe, and that means cracking down on devices used to commit crime,” Governor Hochul said. “Restricting these realistic-looking devices will ensure misleading and potentially dangerous devices are off our streets, keeping kids, law enforcement and all New Yorkers safe.”
The law says the weapons cannot be black, blue, silver or aluminum, and must be colored white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink, or purple. Exceptions, such as imitation weapons used in theatrical productions, will be allowed.
According to data released by the Office of the Attorney General, there have been at least 63 shootings in New York State as a result of individuals mistaking imitation weapons for real firearms, eight of which have resulted in fatalities, and hundreds of crimes have been committed in New York City with imitation weapons.
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