FDNY FIREGUARD

Airsoft/Paintball Weapons

Airsoft/Paintball Guns • These weapons are indistinguishable from live weapons

at a distance and have been used in terrorist activity for: – as part of their pre-attack planning – simulation exercises, – as a guise for obtaining tactical equipment necessary to carry

out plots.

Airsoft Rifle (Replica) Actual AR-15 Rifle

Lethal vs. Non-Lethal • They all look alike but..

– AR-15 rifle shoots military grade ammunition – Airsoft shoots small plastic bb’s at high

velocity, up to a modified 1600 feet per second (FPS)

– Paintball shoots plastic balls filled with various colors of paint at a speed of 300-500 FPS

Staten Island Case Study • July 17, 2015

– A retired NYPD police officer observed on Staten Island: • Four individuals transferring what looked like assault rifles between two

minivans • Provides photos of activities with his smart phone • Reports suspicious activity to Law Enforcement

– Location is in close proximity to Ft. Wadsworth • All military bases were on alert for suspicious activity due to the fatal

recruiting station shooting in Tennessee just days earlier

Staten Island (cont’d) • This report triggered a coordinated Law Enforcement response from

state & local authorities who set up check points and secured potential targets within Staten Island, most notably Fort Wadsworth.

• Information was shared between NYPD and FDNY to increase responders situational awareness

• Upon investigation it was concluded that the weapons seen in the photographs were paintball guns.

Paintball rifle

CO2 line for

cartridge

Tennessee Movie Theater Attack • Date – 8/5/15 • Time – 1:13 pm • Suspect – Vincente David

Montano 29 yrs old • History of Mental Illness • 3 injured (non serious)

Tennessee Movie Theater

• Weapons – Airsoft pistol – Hatchet – Pepper spray – Two Hoax devices (bombs)

• One was strapped to his chest

• One was in a backpack in theater

Notable Plots

• 2003 – Virginia jihad network • 2007 – Fort Dix terror plot • 2010 – Operation Arabian Knight (New Jersey)

* Each of these plots included the use of paintball or airsoft weapons as a tool for training purposes.

Tactical Gear • Under the guise of

paintball or airsoft games, tactical gear can be acquired without raising suspicion.

Airsoft Hand Grenades • The images below show the similarities between a live fragmentation

grenade, and an Airsoft grenade, readily available for purchase online.

Austrian HG 79 Small Airsoft BB Explosive Grenade

Airsoft Hand Grenades • First responders should be aware that these devices

exist and are designed to explode • If a responder comes across a potential explosive

hazard, follow appropriate standard FDNY operating procedures for the discovery of a suspected explosive device.

• Ensure the safety of the members/public by maintaining a safe distance and shielding from the device

Responder Awareness • Although the recent Staten Island investigation yielded a viable lead, it

did not identify a credible plot however it was an excellent example of suspicious activity reporting.

• The significant point is clearly made: there is an investigative, analytical and response apparatus that can be brought to bear on potential threats, but the trigger is YOU!

• “Those members of the first responder community who have an acute awareness of what appears to be suspicious and then the knowledge to report those observations in an accurate, comprehensive and timely fashion form the lynchpin of homeland security preparedness, response and mitigation” FDNY Watchline

Reminder • If you suspect an object could be a potential lethal

device, request law enforcement response to determine the validity of the threat.

• If items such as paintball/airsoft weapons, tactical gear,

or war game paraphernalia seem out of place (example private facility not open to public) make notifications as per suspicious activity reporting protocols

FDNY Center for Terrorism & Disaster Preparedness

411 Shore Road

Bayside, NY 11359

Content as of August 5, 2015