St. Thomas police are issuing a warning about replica guns and the potential for tragedy they carry.
Police say they recently seized a Magnum .177 Caliber BB gun from the backpack of a 16-year-old after he was arrested for breaching his probation order. According to police, the BB gun was manufactured to look and feel like a real handgun so much that it was almost impossible to tell the difference without looking at it very closely in well-lit conditions.
While the carrying of handguns in public in Canada is considered extremely rare, police say they have to be prepared for the possibility that any handgun they see is real.
"When someone is pointing a gun at an officer or anyone else, regardless of their age, it is not logical to wait until it is fired to see if it is a real firearm or a replica BB/pellet gun. If it looks real, police will react as if it is real," St. Thomas police said in a news release issued Thursday. "There is only a fraction of a second to make a life and death decision. Any replica gun used to commit a crime is considered a firearm according to the Criminal Code of Canada. The person using it is subject to the same penalties as if it were a real gun."
Police are asking parents to make sure they are aware of the risks involved in allowing their children to have a replica handgun. They also say minors who misuse replica guns need to understand that their misuse could have "lethal consequences."
