Storefront Windows Shot
By Adam Dykes

Two stores in Kaimuki (a neighborhood in Honolulu, Hawaii) recently had their front windows damaged by vandals. What makes this relevant to airsoft is that the windows appeared to have been shot, rather than bashed. The businesses — JJ French Pastry, a bakery, and Heavy Metal Barbell Company, a weightlifting/exercise equipment shop — are both longstanding residents of the area. Both businesses’ window fronts needed extensive repairs, including the total replacement of several panes, costing thousands of dollars between them. Unfortunately, this is not the first time this sort of thing has happened, either in Honolulu or elsewhere.

JJ owner of bakery attacked by vandals

damage done to bakery window

Even if airsoft guns weren’t used for this crime (there was no evidence of what was actually used to shoot out the windows), they may well be suspected. Since airsoft is still growing and hasn’t yet reached the level of acceptance of other action/pursuit sports, we all need to be more than casually careful about avoiding this sort of trouble. A lot of people will look at any airsoft-related incident and focus on the gear, rather than the action.

A window that didn’t need replacing

As fans of airsoft, we all need to make sure to act responsibly to keep this sort of thing from happening, because it can cast a very bad light on our sport/hobby. Airsoft is getting more and more popular, but there are still a lot of people who are wary of it. If those people see airsoft players having fun and not causing trouble, then they will eventually stop worrying, so long as we all keep acting responsibly.