I believe that the POlice should have kept the whole thing out of the media. Now we are going to see teenagers making water guns into deadly weapons. The gun store owner in the video doesn't know what he is talking about. Gunpowder does not explode it burns creating gas which propels the bullet/charge down the barrel.

I think it's a good idea that they do publicize this stuff. The probability that something like this is going to blow up in the perp's face seems pretty high. More super-soaker zip guns could only help clear the streets of more undesirables. :)

Zip guns are nothing new. People have been making homemade guns since the first matchlocks appeared hundreds of years ago. And they have been blowing their own heads off ever since.

Can any of you even see a trigger on that thing? Did it have a trip cord? I wonder if it would have even worked. Hopefully they'll take it to the range and let a robot find out.

So the guy is released the next day for a federal firearms offense (underlength shotgun barrel)? Pffft! And with his criminal record too! Gad, I'm glad I don't live in that neck of the woods anymore.

They should remotely fire and tape a bunch of these homemade guns with a simulated head next to the soaker or what ever else they're using to conceal the gun and only publicize the ones that blow up! Might make some of them think twice before making and firing such weapons, especially if they like having all their body parts intact.

Criminal released the next day. Says a lot about the system.

Well, hopefully one of these idiots will hurt themselves with these guns before any innocents are hurt or killed!

That quote must be from Fat Mike's autobiography.

What next? Lawn mower grenade launchers? Ball point switch blades? Folding Leatherman sabres ("Luke, come over to the handyman side!"

C'mon guys let's use our imagination and have some fun with this!

It won't be very funny if some fool blows his hand off or gets a faceful of plastic shrapnel. About 50 years ago the Bad boys in our town decided to make a zip gun. they used a cap pistol that had a cylinder that loaded wooden bullets. when they fired it the gun blew apart taking 4 fingers with it.

It goes to show that if you take guns away from criminals they'll find something else.

Looks like police officers now have even more to worry about. I thought the whole reason they began making toy guns is bright colors and wacky designs was so cops wouldn't mistake them for a real gun and accidentally shoot someone. Now that seems no longer to be the case.

and this is nothing new to Chicago..they have been doin this for awhile now

I read where there were 40 shootings in the Chicago heat this weekend resulting in 10 deaths. You reckon they mistook pump shotguns for Super Soakers?

I kinda wish he had fired it. Might have been a contender for the 2012 Darwin Award.

Hey WA mtnhunter;
What is so different about chicago heat, that would make some one do a dasterly deed ?

Iffen he wanted a poorly made metal firing mechanism encased in a cheap toy-like plastic exterior, why didn't he save himself some trouble and buy a HiPoint?

(Oops, my sarcasm is showing)

You would think that this would help the gun control debate. This just proves that even if they take the guns away there will still be firearms. Remember, the internet helps all people goos and bad.

The irony here is they probably saved this id-joits life.