Interesting article

[Trbo323]

https://ktla.com/news/local-news/tourists-cited-for-shooting-up-joshua-tree-national-park-with-paintballs/

I had 2 big take aways

1) they actually used the term markers for most of the article

2) it states that markers are legally considered weapons. I've never heard that before, anyone else know one way or the other?

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[jetenginekyle]

Im not familiar with the laws but calling paintball markers weapons makes sense in this context as they were used to harm property. Just like how a baseball bat is sporting equipment but if you start hitting things the bat becomes a weapon.

[BrickHaus]

^ Yeah especially when you are talking using them in a negligent manner on Federally managed property.

What I find ironic is, its German tourists whom have pretty strict gun laws from my understanding. To the point paintball markers are commonly used as self defense. That being said you would think they fully understand how this would result in them being in trouble.

[Grendel]

I think the author really needs to go to law school or ask the advice of a lawyer before making or repeating a proclamation such as "Park officials said paintball markers and slingshots are legally considered weapons, and are thus prohibited in National Park Service-administered lands.". There really isn't a definition of a weapon by categorization of a thing, it is more about the intent in the use of the device. So paintball markers are not in themselves weapons but could be considered weapons in the case of how they were used.

The legal definition of a weapon depends on the circumstances and how it's used. A weapon can be an object, instrument, substance, or device that's intended to cause death or harm. For example, a large rock used to hit someone in the head could be considered a deadly weapon. Other items that could be considered weapons include: Firearms, Cooking knives, Baseball bats, Hammers, Rat poison, and Belts.

The Park officials would have been more correct if they had said "...paintball markers and slingshots [can] be considered weapons legally..." but this is really splitting hairs. The term weapon does not carry the same weight legally as the terms "deadly weapon" or "firearm" at least in the US.

A deadly weapon is an object, instrument, substance, or device which is intended to be used in a way that is likely to cause death, or with which death can be easily and readily produced. So as you can see it is more about intent then it is the object.

[SignOfZeta]

1: Never get advice from cops. They aren’t experts on the law.

2: Despite popular belief, there are still plenty of shitty Germans.

This is basically a less gross version of those weirdo jerk tourists who want to take pictures of themselves nude with religious monuments or in concentration camps or whatever. At least it’s not that!

[Arthur]

Yep