Tragedy leads to production of bulletproof vests for children

A Colombian maker of bulletproof clothing, Miguel Caballero Ltd., Bogota, Colombia, shipped its first U.S. order of 24 ballistic protection vests for children in January, following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. CEO Caballero once resisted manufacturing vests for children. “I thought, kids don’t need this protection,” he said. “After Connecticut, I see that we need a solution for kids.” The new collection of bulletproof vests and backpacks designed for children ages 8 to 16 went into production right after the Sandy Hook shootings. The company sells most of its protective wear to customers in Qatar, Dubai, South Africa and Latin America. “This is the first time we’re thinking with the American market in mind,” says Caballero. School officials and mental health practitioners, however, question the use of these products.