A pricing dispute at a Seguin convenience store near Texas Lutheran University ended with the owner in handcuffs after police say she pulled a BB-style handgun and pointed it at a customer during an argument over the final price of an item. Seguin police identified the owner as 53-year-old Rosa Edilia Tejada. Investigators say the BB-style revolver closely resembled a real handgun and did not have the bright orange safety markings that typically signal a toy or imitation firearm.
Officers responded to the store in the 1000 block of West Court Street shortly before 5 p.m. on July 11 after a report of someone with a weapon. The disturbance grew out of a dispute about what the customer would ultimately pay for an item, according to KSAT. As the customer walked toward the front doors, Tejada allegedly produced the BB gun and pointed it at the person, the outlet reports.
"A reasonable person would have believed the weapon was a real handgun," the Seguin Police Department wrote in its release, according to KSAT. Officers arrested Tejada on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was booked into the Guadalupe County Jail, where she posted a $50,000 bond and was released on July 12, per jail records cited by the station.
Replica Guns And Federal Rules
Federal guidance calls for toy, look-alike and imitation firearms to have conspicuous markings, such as a blaze-orange plug or bright exterior coloring, so they are not easily mistaken for real weapons, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Traditional BB and pellet guns are specifically excluded from those marking requirements. That carve-out can leave some air-powered pistols looking a lot like real handguns, which in turn raises the risk of tense or even dangerous confrontations when they are displayed or used during disputes.
What This Means Under Texas Law
In Texas, pointing what appears to be a firearm during an argument can carry serious legal consequences. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is typically a second-degree felony, with a potential penalty range of two to 20 years in prison and an optional fine of up to $10,000 under state law. Texas Penal Code
For anyone with tips or information related to incidents in Guadalupe County, the sheriff's office public information lists Guadalupe County Crime Stoppers at 877-403-8477. Guadalupe County Sheriff's Office
