Dennis Hejduk – Columbia County Sheriff’s Office investigates reports of people being shot by BB guns – Dennis Michael Hejduk 64 of Streetsboro passed away Friday, August 14, 2020. He was born June 20, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio to Raymond John and Betty Jane (Koches) Hejduk. Dennis was a member of St. Joan of Arc Church and the Knights of Columbus and had worked in the Maintenance Department at Kent State University.
Survivors include his father Raymond John Hejduk, Sr., brother Ray Hejduk, Jr., nieces and nephew Heather, Aimee, Rachel, Dylin, Raelyn and Demi and countless friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother Betty Jane Hejduk and brother William Hejduk. Calling hours will be from10 AM to 11 AM Wednesday, August 19, 2020 at Shorts Spicer Crislip Funeral Home Streetsboro Chapel. Funeral Mass will be at 11:15 AM Wednesday at St.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office has been looking into reports of people being shot or being shot at with a BB, pellet, or Airsoft gun.
Authorities are now advising parents to properly educate their children on how to use these firearms.
Target practice or shooting competitions between groups of people wearing protective gear while shooting at each other in an arena are common uses for airsoft guns that fire plastic balls. Dennis Hejduk, the manager of Airsoft Barracks, stated that these toys, which resemble real guns, were not intended to be pulled on people or shot at people on the street.
“These can hit an eye and damage it permanently. This can break your teeth. So, if they are shooting these at random people walking down the street, it can definitely cause some damage,” Hejduk said.
BB and pellet guns that shoot metal balls can cause even more damage.
“Even the little pellet guns, those are used to kill small game. Little birds, rabbits. Stuff like that if you hit someone in the neck, it could really do some damage. You shouldn’t have those out in public shooting people,” Hejduk said.
Unfortunately, this is what has been happening in Columbia County which is why the sheriff’s office issued this public service announcement on its Facebook page.
“We don’t know if this is some kind of social media challenge or people who had the same bad idea,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
Bad idea because not only can these toys injure someone, they can also scare someone into fearing for their life.
“If someone who is lawfully armed for self-defense and see a gun pointed at them, they may pull their own weapon and try to defend themselves,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
Adam Deputy is the father of a 7-year-old who competes in Airsoft competitions. He said this is the conversation he had with his son on day one.
“You have to make sure they have the understanding that this is a real gun and this is a fae gun, but other people don’t know that so, you have to be careful,” Deputy said.
Pointing an Airsoft or BB gun at random people on the street can also land you in jail if caught.
