# Guns in the toys... how sick can these individuals be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 5, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145 "2014-06-05T18:41:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/1 "2014-06-05T18:41:02Z")
So last week a “loss prevention officer” - the extreme irony of the name will become apparent - [found a loaded pistol](http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2014/06/05/pressure-mounts-on-target-to-ban-firearms-after-loaded-gun-found-in-toy-aisle/) sitting on boxed toys in a toy aisle at a North Carolina Target. Think about it - even with heavy indoctrination, mentioned in the article, for children to not touch a gun they find, and report it to an adult, the toy aisle is one place where the injunction is going to have no real effect. The situation was minutes - seconds? - from some kid picking up the piece and inflicting unfathomable tragedy. No matter which side of the gun debate you’re on, this kind of act (probably thought of as a “tactic”) is among the sickest I can imagine. Security cams have a suspect. I hope they find him soon. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/2 "2014-06-05T18:47:35Z")
Yes, a vicious tactic. Do they suspect someone in the anti-gun crowd of having done this? By the way, I’m not seeing any irony, let alone extreme, in the title “loss-prevention officer.” That’s what they typically call security guards whose main function is to prevent shoplifting. He might have prevented loss of life in this case, but that doesn’t look like irony to me. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/3 "2014-06-05T18:49:44Z")
I’m a little confused. You’re contending that somebody placed the gun there on purpose? The first thing I would assume is that this wasn’t some act or tactic but somebody accidentally left their weapon there. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/4 "2014-06-05T18:56:46Z")
#hiddengun ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/5 "2014-06-05T19:01:38Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > The first thing I would assume is that this wasn’t some act or tactic but somebody accidentally left their weapon there. Never ever lose that sense of unbridled optimism. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/6 "2014-06-05T19:07:59Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > #hiddengun I just googled that to no avail. Could you please explain this to the hashtag-challenged? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/7 "2014-06-05T19:17:48Z")
Guns are expensive. I doubt people are leaving them around just to temp little kids. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/8 "2014-06-05T19:20:12Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Guns are expensive. I doubt people are leaving them around just to temp little kids. Heh, my second thought was “Hope it wasn’t a _nice_ gun…” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/9 "2014-06-05T19:25:03Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I just googled that to no avail. Could you please explain this to the hashtag-challenged? Fake twitter movement to leave guns hidden places. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/10 "2014-06-05T19:27:37Z")
OP, you made a couple of mistakes in your subject. It should read: **Gun in the toys… how sick can this individual be?** I can’t imagine why you’d pluralize “Gun” and “individual,” unless you were trying to draw unwarranted attention to the issue by implying that the problem is much worse than it really is. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/11 "2014-06-05T19:30:08Z")
I started a related thread in GQ: [What Might the Charges Be? (Gun-Related) - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=725295) > [@beowulff](#): > > Guns are expensive. I doubt people are leaving them around just to temp little kids. Since when has expense stopped the truly fanatical? > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Fake twitter movement to leave guns hidden places. Is this a for-real fake twitter movement? Have there been any stories about this? ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/12 "2014-06-05T19:38:06Z")
maybe he was faced with a search and dumped it. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/13 "2014-06-05T19:42:31Z")
They sell guns at Target in the US? Good God. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/14 "2014-06-05T19:50:41Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > They sell guns at Target in the US? Good God. Jesus fucking Christ. No, they do not sell guns at Target. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/15 "2014-06-05T19:51:59Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Jesus fucking Christ. No, they do not sell guns at Target. Sure they do, right there in the toy aisle. I read that on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/16 "2014-06-05T19:55:57Z")
I’m not seeing where the police got the idea that the gun was purposefully planted there for a kid to pick up. Isn’t it more probable that a person just put it down and forgot about it? Weird story either way. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/17 "2014-06-05T19:57:53Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Jesus fucking Christ. No, they do not sell guns at Target. Wal-Mart, though, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/18 "2014-06-05T20:20:32Z")
> [@Octarine](#): > > I’m not seeing where the police got the idea that the gun was purposefully planted there for a kid to pick up. Isn’t it more probable that a person just put it down and forgot about it? Weird story either way. I suppose it’s possible that it was forgotten. However, it would be a weird confluence of events to cause a responsible gun owner to unholster his loaded weapon, place it on a shelf in the toy department, and get distracted enough to forget he left it there. My non-nefarious guess is that a person with an illegal gun found that a Loss Prevention Officer or nearby Police Officer, was a little too interested in him, and ditched the gun rather than get caught with it. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/19 "2014-06-05T20:53:24Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > My non-nefarious guess is that a person with an illegal gun found that a Loss Prevention Officer or nearby Police Officer, was a little too interested in him, and ditched the gun rather than get caught with it. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2014, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145/20 "2014-06-05T20:59:16Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > I just googled that to no avail. Could you please explain this to the hashtag-challenged? I think there’s been an anonymous rich dude hiding money and then tweeting clues to the location or something, probably using the tag #hiddenmoney. My guess is **Gatopescado** was making a joke. Example: [Hidden Cash Drops More Money in LA Area – NBC Los Angeles](http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Hidden-Cash-Tweets-More-Cash-on-the-Way-for-Angelenos-261254321.html) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guns-in-the-toys-how-sick-can-these-individuals-be/690145.md?page=2)