# "Distraction Device" -- What is that, exactly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 22, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364 "2018-02-22T20:25:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/1 "2018-02-22T20:25:01Z")
A friend was commenting on a news story about a teen who had committed suicide. They found a “distraction device” in the kid’s backpack. What exactly are these things, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/2 "2018-02-22T20:26:17Z")
A [fidget spinner](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidget_spinner), most likely. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/3 "2018-02-22T20:49:43Z")
I was thinking it refers to creating a diversion. Maybe something like fireworks or small pipebomb. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/4 "2018-02-22T20:59:03Z")
Googling “distraction device” gives links to the suicide story, plus lots of links for things like [this](https://www.amazon.com/DISTRACT-BALL-Non-Explosive-Distraction-Device/dp/B00O3OMHSW) and [this](http://lamperdlesslethal.com/less-lethal-solutions/flash-grenades/). So probably that. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/5 "2018-02-22T21:04:38Z")
My first thought was that he had a fidget spinner, suggesting the kid suffered from ADHD or autism. Which is ridiculous, since fidget spinners became incredibly popular last year. And doesn’t really help with ADHD and autism anyway, from what I read. ---
**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2018, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/6 "2018-02-22T23:21:13Z")
You’re typing on and looking at one now. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/7 "2018-02-23T00:53:11Z")
Seems like the best distraction device would be an exploding fidget spinner. ---
**Author:** ![KMS94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ad7895/32.png) [@KMS94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KMS94)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/8 "2018-02-23T01:21:45Z")
In the military and law enforcement circles I was in, “distraction device” was synonymous with a flash-bang grenade. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/9 "2018-02-23T01:33:52Z")
If it were a soldier or cop who said it, then it’d be a flash-bang. With a reporter saying it, though, it’s anyone’s guess what they mean. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2018, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/10 "2018-02-23T04:15:59Z")
They make airsoft/paintball distraction devices, basically you hear a bunch of loud pops and then smoke come from it. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/11 "2018-03-02T19:56:29Z")
[So the kid had](https://www.ohio.com/akron/news/local/death-of-13-year-old-who-shot-himself-at-jackson-middle-school-ruled-a-suicide) “an assortment of fireworks, batteries and an aerosol can. Police said Keith believed he could make an explosive device, but bomb experts said he didn’t have what he needed.” ---
**Author:** ![I\_wasn\_t\_truly\_absent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4da419/32.png) [@I\_wasn\_t\_truly\_absent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_wasn_t_truly_absent)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/12 "2018-03-03T04:36:23Z")
first thing I thought of was a nintendo ds ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/distraction-device-what-is-that-exactly/809364/13 "2018-03-03T20:14:19Z")
> [@Fleetwood](#): > > You’re typing on and looking at one now. Whatever happened to using your imagination?! You don’t need to carry that in a backpack! /old fogey