WASHINGTON – To say the Yellow Jacket iPhone case is stunning is an understatement.
The hard-plastic protective case contains a 650,000-volt stun gun that can knock an assailant to his knees within seconds.
Seth Froom invented the device after being the victim of an armed robbery in 2011. It sells for $139.
To deliver a shock, the phone’s electrode must come in contact with a person’s body.
The company, on its webpage, says the shock from Yellow Jacket is painful, but won’t kill a person. It says stun guns are high in voltage, but low in amperage, making them non-lethal.
The makers say the Yellow Jacket has a safety switch that must be engaged before the stun gun is activated, as well as an electrode cap that must be flipped off before making contact with an attacker.
Still, on its website the company warns parents about the dangers of letting children play with their phones.
Stun guns are illegal in many states and cities, including Washington, D.C., Annapolis, Baltimore, and Baltimore County, Md. While legal to own in Virginia, it is illegal to carry a stun gun on school property.