Surrey RCMP: Fake guns will be treated as real unless proven otherwise
Posted July 12, 2022 1:36 pm.
Last Updated July 12, 2022 1:51 pm.
The RCMP in Surrey is warning about the dangers of carrying, possessing, and using fake firearms like BB guns, pellet guns, and airsoft rifles after a pair of recent incidents. Police say they have to treat the weapons as though they are real.
Mounties were called to a shopping mall the night of June 23 after reports of a young person threatening another with a handgun, which ended up being fake. Police say they saw the suspect with a “a silver revolver-type firearm” that seemed to be loaded.
“Upon closer inspection, the realistic looking firearm, cylinder and cartridges turned out to be an imitation firearm,” reads a statement from Surrey RCMP.
That same night, Mounties were called about a possible road rage incident in which a man rolled down his car window and pointed a gun at another driver.
“The suspect driver was located and a traffic stop was initiated by officers. A search of the vehicle located an imitation Glock BB gun within the vehicle.”
Related article: Man arrested after pointing fake gun at passengers on North Vancouver bus
Const. Gurvinder Ghag with the force says officers have to assume guns are real until they are sure they are fake.
“Any calls regarding guns or any kind of imitation weapons … will be treated as high-risk calls and we will treat every file as if it was a real gun, unless we can prove it otherwise,” she said.
“Imitation firearms can pose a significant risk to the public, as well as any police officer responding to the call.”
No charges have been laid in either case.
Ghag warns if you use a fake weapon in a “criminal or negligent manner,” you could face charges.
