I’m pretty sure this isn’t the first time they’ve done this.
BB guns are much easier to identify (as planted) than the many real weapons police presumably have access to. The stupidity of this particular operation probably played a part in exposing it, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was the last not to just use whichever real guns they acquired.
I think you're missing the point. Or maybe I am. The BB guns don't need to pass his real when they're found, just so long as they looked real enough that officer could credibly claim they thought their lives were endangered because they thought the shooting victim was holding a real gun rather than the BB gun they were actually "holding".
There are always going to be slight discrepancies, and a smart operator will leave no room for error by planting the real thing (instead of a mostly convicing fake that can be exposed with a keen eye). Sometimes (and even if it looks real to most passers-by at the scene), all it takes is someone sharing a photo with a large group for that sort of thing to be spotted.
The article suggests this started with the investigation of a toy gun found in the glove department of an arrested police officer. People armed with defective guns for deterrence is one thing, but cops and alleged (deceased) criminals being found with fake guns seems like it would provide more grounds for suspicion of foul play than them being found with a real weapon.
