Don't Bring a Toy to a Gunfight

Burglar with fake gun fatally shot - Florida AP - MiamiHerald.com He had colored out the orange "this is a toy" portion so it would look real.

So he constituted a threat, to the best knowledge of the homeowner, who wasn't armed with a toy; he was armed with a .357 magnum handgun. The expected results ensued.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office reports that 24-year-old Octavious Barnes broke into 82-year-old Bradley Harvil's home and tried to steal about $1,100 in cash Sunday night. Authorities say Barnes was waiving around a toy pistol, colored black with a marker to look real, and assaulted Harvil.

The home owner was able to get to his real .357 magnum and shot Barnes in the chest and in the eye.

In addition to the dead guy, three women are in custody for helping to plan the robbery. They are charged with felony home invasion and second-degree murder.