Which one's fake?(Evening)

Byline: Iliana Limon ILIMON@AQBTRIB.COM / 823-3632

Look-alike guns imperil all, frustrated police say

It's every officer's nightmare bullets fly and dust settles before police realize they fired on someone armed with a chunk of plastic.

The problem is growing worse as manufacturers create toys mirroring real firearms that are anything but playful, said Paul Pacheco, the Albuquerque police union president.

"As long as toy manufacturers continue creating toys that look like weapons, there's always potential for a child, teen or adult to use it," he said.

Look-alike weapons have led to two Albuquerque deaths in encounters with police in the past three years. Officers have avoided such drastic results in at least five robberies where the fake weapons were used.

Albuquerque Police Chief Gilbert G. Gallegos said imitation firearms have been causing police officers problems for years.

"This has been a real concern for law enforcement for several years," he …