North Vancouver RCMP are reminding the public that carrying a pellet gun in public may draw a response from officers who carry the real thing.
The Seymour neighbourhood saw a heavy police presence Monday evening after an officer spotted two people carrying what appeared to be a pistol into a large fenced-off development site on Lytton Street.
“At that point, we had quite a few officers attend because we didn’t know what we were dealing with,” said Sgt. Peter DeVries, spokesman for the North Vancouver detachment.
Officers surrounded the property. A short time later, two youths came out and turned over an airsoft gun. Airsoft guns shoot non-metallic spherical projectiles, typically plastic or biodegradable resin.
“[The gun] looked very real and is extremely dangerous – particularly in the context of the increased frequency of late of the Lower Mainland gang conflict and the shootings that have been happening. We're certainly very alive to the possibility of encountering criminals with firearms,” DeVries said. “Until we can prove that it's not a firearm, we can't treat it as anything but.”
Police seized the toy gun and the kids got a talking-to, but DeVries said they are not seeking charges.
“But the reality is parents have a whole lot more influence than cops do when it comes to kids,” he added.
