Police officer urges parents not to buy gun-shaped phone case for children in viral post

A concerned police officer took to social media last week to warn parents against purchasing a popular phone accessory that could put their children in danger.

Aaron Sheehan took to Facebook on Sept. 24 to share images of what appears to be a young woman holding up a black cell phone case that very closely resembles a real gun.

"As a police officer......please, please do not buy this or allow your children to have this new phone case!" Sheehan wrote in his post, which has already been shared over 180,000 times. "Hell, tell everyone you know, not just your kids!!"

On Oct. 1, the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff's Association in Calif. shared Sheehan's post on its Facebook page with a similar warning for parents.

"Please do not purchase or let your children purchase this cell phone case," it wrote. "Although a novelty, it will create unwanted scrutiny from law enforcement for whoever uses it. Regular citizens will see it and call 911 and then law enforcement will respond accordingly for a subject with a gun call."

In February 2018, a Florida high school was placed on lockdown after a teacher called police to report that a student was spotted carrying a weapon.

Authorities responding to DeLand High School were able to locate and search the 15-year-old male student, only to discover he was carrying a cell phone case molded to resemble a handgun.

The juvenile was charged with disruption of an educational institute, WFTS reported.

DeLand Police Chief Jason Umberger spoke out against the accessory at the time, saying there was simply no need for cell phone cases made to look like handguns.

“It makes no sense that cell phone accessories are being made to look like handguns and it makes no sense that gun manufacturers are making fatal weapons into novelties like pink handguns," he said. "But this is the reality that we are living with and what my officers have to be aware of to keep our community safe."