Ohio sheriff says man painted gun to resemble toy

CINCINNATI (AP) — Authorities in southwest Ohio say they have arrested a man with a loaded handgun painted red to resemble a toy gun.

The arrest today came just four days after legislation was introduced in Ohio to require that look-alike guns be brightly colored or otherwise marked. That bill came in the aftermath of two police fatal shootings in less than four months of young people in the state who were holding look-alike guns.

Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil says it’s “a scary thought” that guns would be painted to mislead police into thinking the guns weren’t real.

Police responding to a call about a man with a gun say they found 23-year-old Orlando Lowery with a red-painted .380-caliber handgun and 9 grams of cocaine.