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Two BGSU Students Face Charges in Air Gun Incident

BOWLING GREEN -- Two Bowling Green State University students face "inducing panic" charges after an incident involving air pistols near campus Tuesday. Bowling Green police say 21-year-old Trenton Fledderjohann and 20-year-old Michael Osborne were booked into the Wood County Justice Center, but were later released on bond.

Police say Osborne and Fledderjohann were pointing Airsoft air pistols, which shoot plastic pellets, near East Wooster and Troup streets Tuesday afternoon.  A witness saw the two with the guns and called police.

"They are made to look real and feel real," said Bowling Green police officer Jeff Lowrey.  Lowrey was one of the officers who responded to the weapons call.  "When we see a gun, we assume it is a weapon that can hurt us," said Lowrey.  Bowling Green police officers pulled their own weapons and handcuffed Osborne and Fledderjohann.

When police determined the plastic air pistols were just that, the two were charged with "inducing panic."

"I was in shock.  I couldn't believe it," said Ryan Randall, who lives at the house where Osborne and Fledderjohann were playing with the guns.  Ryan watched as officer Lowrey made the arrest.  "Yeah it's an air gun, but the police didn't know that," said Ryan.

Michael Osborne's family, who lives near Cincinnati, is in shock over the arrest.  The Osbornes believe police overreacted to two young adults engaging in recreation.

Neither Michael or Trenton responded to News 11's phone calls.  The two will appear in court September 3 on the misdemeanor charges.

Posted by AEB