(JOHN MCDONALD / iNFOnews.ca)
May 01, 2016 - 1:43 PM
KELOWNA – Police took reports of a man seen pointing a gun at a home in Kelowna last night very seriously and fortunately for all involved it turned out to be a replica pistol.
RCMP say officers were called to a home in the 2400-block of Longhill Road in Glenmore around 7:48 p.m., April 30, looking for a man who had allegedly been pointing a handgun.
Police spoke with the homeowner and went inside to make sure everyone was safe and learned the suspect had left in a vehicle before officers arrived, according to a RCMP media release.
The suspect vehicle was tracked down a short time later and the four people inside were taken into custody.
It turns out the handgun wasn't real. It was an Airsoft pistol.
"When reports of this nature are made, police must respond accordingly to ensure both the safety of the public and the safety of the responding officers," Const. Jesse O'Donaghey says in the release. "There is always the real possibility a police officer may perceive a deadly threat and respond with irreversible consequences."
The four people detained by police were released and don’t face any charges.
O’Donaghey says guns, air soft guns, pellet guns, paintball guns or anything that may be perceived to be a firearm should be transported in a case in the trunk of a vehicle.
“Most importantly they should only be used in designated areas such as gun club ranges and paintball ranges,” he says.
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