Saanich police are reminding owners of replica firearms to leave them at home, after an incident at the intersection of McKenzie Avenue and Burnside Road West last week.
Officers responded to a call on April 29 about an intoxicated man with a gun. When they arrived, police saw what appeared to be the handle of a firearm sticking out of the man’s waistband.
The man was disarmed and taken into custody. It was only after his arrest that officers had a chance to inspect the weapon, which was determined to be a replica.
The man was released with a future court date and the condition that he not possess weapons.
“All calls involving firearms create an elevated risk to the public and require a priority response from police,” police said in a statement.
“Officers are trained to treat all firearms as real and may not learn it is a replica until hours after the call is concluded.
Police said firearms can’t be identified quickly from a distance and even replicas pose a safety risk to the public, those who carry them and police.
“If you own a replica firearm, please leave it at home,” police said.
