Sales of pink guns explode, but could these weapons attract children?

CINCINNATI - It's a family affair. Tom Morris wants his teenage daughters to learn how to handle firearms safely, so he brought them to Target World in Sharonville.

Brooklyn Morris, 14, wants to go into the military someday. She joins a growing number of girls and women learning to shoot.

And that explains an astonishing number of pink weapons available at stores like Target World and online. It's all about marketing.

Assistant Manager Jeff Mann says pink gun sales have exploded in the last two years.

Mann showed 9 News a range of pink weapons, including the popular Cricket 22, a single-shot .22 in Barbie pink.

But if these bright pink guns look attractive to women, what about children?

The bright colors at Jump & Jacks in West Chester tell us it is a place for kids to play.

Judy Peterson watches her two granddaughters, Addison and Isabella, at Jump & Jacks. On the day 9 News visited her, she happened to be wearing pink.

We showed her pictures of pink guns on an iPad, and asked her what she thought of when she saw it.

"I think they look like toys," Peterson said.

Jessica Samblanet, with her son Findlay, had a similar reaction.

"I don't have a problem with women having guns," Samblanet said. "I don't think they should have guns that look like toys."

"Saddened and concerned," was the reaction from Dr. Victor Garcia. Dr. Garcia is the Founding Director of Trauma Services at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

He's also a West Point graduate and former Army Ranger, who respects weapons but has seen too many tragedies.

"Seeing children shot through the chest; head; legs lost because of it. Shouldn't be, shouldn't be," Dr. Garcia said.

Dr. Garcia says children will be children, and that's why parents must exercise extreme caution with firearms.

His advice: "If you own a weapon, keep it locked, keep the ammunition separate and out of reach of the child."

What do you think? Do the guns look too much like toys? Leave a comment in the section below or on our WCPO 9 On Your Side Facebook page .