Halifax police are warning parents and youth about the danger of using imitation guns, which are nearly indistinguishable from real ones.
Since January first, they say they have had calls about more than 60 incidents, and nearly one a week involving youth, according to Halifax Regional Police Staff Sergeant Nick Pepler, while speaking to reporters Wednesday.
He says these may be BB, pellet, or airsoft guns, but they look like the real thing.
“The threat is real and if we continue this trend of us responding to these types [of calls], eventually a tragedy is going to happen,” says Pepler.
Late last month, photos posted online showed youth shooting imitation guns at each other in a McDonald’s on Larry Uteck Boulevard.
Pepler says he hopes this warning will help everyone understand the danger.
He adds that, when an officer sees one of these imitation guns is, “’That looks like a real gun.’”
“We’re trained to stop a threat, and any of us in this room see that pulled, we cannot tell if that’s a real gun or not, and you’re not taking that chance. If they’re about to shoot somebody, it’s our job to stop that threat, and unfortunately you can’t tell in a split second whether or not that’s a real gun.”
Pepler says he does not believe any Halifax Regional Police have shot at anyone while responding to incidents of people with imitation guns.
On those calls, he says the suspect could face different charges depending on how the guns are are used.
If you are caught carrying one of the weapons in your pants at the mall, for example, Peppler says you could get hit with charges for carrying a concealed weapon. And if police confiscate the imitation gun, test it, and find it shoots over 500 feet per second, you could get stiffer charges for carrying an actual firearm.
Imagine seeing one of these in your community, says Pepler, outside your child’s school or at a family restaurant. These imitation guns come with a real sense of fear for people in the community.
“We’re issuing this plea today to help youth understand the risks of playing with imitation firearms,” says Pepler.
“And this plea also extends to parents, guardians, teachers or anyone who can help us spread the message—imitation firearms should not be mishandled.”
