Springfield police nabbed a man after a frightening incident involving what looked to be military-grade weaponry on Belmont Avenue. In a potentially deadly mix-up, officers seized an airsoft rifle from 36-year-old Edward Blatch Jr., believing it to be a real AR-15, during his arrest yesterday night.
The drama unfolded around 8:55 p.m., when police were alerted to a man wielding an AK-47 rifle, decked out in a bulletproof vest, according to the Springfield Police Department. They arrived to find a victim who claimed Blatch had pointed the firearm at her during a heated exchange inside an apartment. Not long after, he made his way back to the scene – that’s when officers, after a tactical approach up the fire escape, spotted the faux rifle on his kitchen table.
Upon entering the abode, law enforcement took Blatch into custody and came to the unsettling realization that the weapon in question was, in fact, an airsoft replica of an AR-15, practically indistinguishable from a live firearm. The arresting saga didn’t end there, as suspected valium was found on Blatch and, he went on to assault an officer during the booking procedure.
“Using any realistic looking Air-Soft or BB Gun during a commission of a crime is extremely dangerous for our officers and the suspects involved,” Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl Clapprood pointed out. “These replica firearms look more and more like real guns every day and in a split-second it can be very difficult to decipher the difference. We see more air and replica guns being used in crimes than ever before, and unfortunately the possession of these imitation guns when used in a crime is not illegal for adults,” she added with a perspective on the escalating challenge facing law enforcement.
Blatch faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a Class E drug, and assault & battery on a police officer. The Springfield Police Department used the arrest to highlight Massachusetts General Laws for minors regarding replica guns, a poignant reminder that though Blatch may face the full weight of the law, there remain legal loopholes and societal gaps to be addressed in the ongoing imitation firearm dilemma. Those under 18 are barred from public replica gun possession unless riding shotgun with an adult, holding a valid hunting or sporting license, and a local police chief’s permit to boot.
