Rifle-Shaped Gold Bong Poking out Window Wreaks Havoc
[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]I[/dropcap]n what initially appeared to be possible terrorist activity, police in downtown San Diego, California raided a hotel room and determined that a gold-colored, rifle-shaped object sticking out the window was simply a bong. The incident caused the entire East Village neighborhood to temporarily shut down—including evacuations, disruption of the trolley service and a helicopter was called in.
According to San Diego police Sgt. Joe Ruvido, the incident occurred on Park Boulevard between Market Street and Island Avenue. On May 7, at 6:20 p.m., a couple staying at The Palms Hotel smoked out of a gold-colored bong shaped like an AR-15 out the window of their room on the third floor. Onlookers saw the gun-shaped object poking out the window near police and Petco Park, and alerted authorities.
The police were called to the scene, which was only three blocks from Petco Park, where the San Diego Padres and the New York Mets were scheduled to play that evening. In addition, a helicopter was called in, and circled over the neighborhood. Police officers entered the room and discovered a couple in their 20s smoking cannabis in the room. Both were taken into custody, but the woman was later released.
The man, however, faces misdemeanor charges his involvement and for pointing the bong outside the window. Police Capt. Mike Holden told The San Diego Tribune that the man was booked for “exhibiting a replica firearm in a threatening manner.”
A very similar incident took place last month in The Netherlands when a cannabis grinder shaped like a grenade spurred a complete terrorism investigation. Last July, a grenade-shaped cannabis grinder led to the evacuation of the Astor Piazzolla airport in the coastal city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. Considering these types of incidents, perhaps gun-shaped and grenade-shaped smoking accessories aren’t a good idea considering the rise in terrorist and shooting activity in the last decade.
