A shockingly realistic "live action" shooting game that caters to children has opened in Queens.
The game, called iCombat, "outfits children like SWAT officers— with fake assault rifles and other toy guns," NBC 4 New York reported Thursday.
"Compressed air in one type of toy gun even simulates recoil when the gun is fired. And players wear electronic vests that light up when hit – showing where the victim has been shot," NBC added.
While the argument that violent video games can be blamed for every shooting is a little extreme, iCombat probably takes things a little too far.
The game was adapted from a law enforcement training system called irTactical, according to NBC.
"There's no question that this increases aggression and it desensitizes them to killing, and it's a big, big mistake," Dr. Harris Stratyner told NBC New York.
But Peter Fermoselle, the agent for Indoor Extreme Sports in Queens, says his facility, which offers iCombat, doesn't promote real-life violence.
Indoor Extreme Sports doesn't let people buy guns, and it doesn't promote a military or ultra-violent lifestyle, he points out.
"We don't sell a single gun," Fermoselle told Business Insider. "We just don't provide that."
While it is commendable that the facility doesn't sell guns, it's worrisome that there isn't an age minimum for what looks like a very realistic shooting experience.
In response to criticism, Fermoselle stressed that parents accompany young kids to the facility.
"A 10-year-old just doesn't walk in and fill out a waiver and go play," Fermoselle said.
DON'T MISS: This Is What Happens When You Sell Pink Guns That Look Like Toys >
Please follow Law & Order on Twitter and Facebook.
Join the conversation about this story »
