A man was stopped by the Kelowna RCMP on Wednesday morning for carrying a BB gun that people in the public believed to be a real gun.
Around 11:30 a.m. on June 21, a City of Kelowna security guard noticed a man wearing a bandana carrying what the guard thought was a gun in Kerry Park. The guard immediately contacted the RCMP and waited to they arrived at the scene.
Because Kerry Park is an extremely popular area, many police officers attended the scene, including their dog services. They quickly took the man into custody.
During the RCMP’s investigation, they discovered the gun was a replica BB gun and not a real gun. The man, who is experiencing homelessness,bought the BB gun at a tactical store downtown.
“While no criminal offence has technically taken place here although arguably very close, these are extremely concerning sets of circumstances that could have ended very differently,” said Cpl. Michael Gauthier.
The man was arrested without charges and received some required assistance. The replica BB gun was seized and has been submitted for destruction.
“Fortunately we have vigilant local security in our downtown core and proficient officers who resolved this report quickly and safely,” said Gauthier. “Thank you to the members of the public who cooperated with police during this dynamic situation.”
READ MORE: New Kelowna RCMP program coming to curb youth crime
READ MORE: Kelowna traffic enforcement ramping up amidst rise in distracted driving
@cunninghamjordy
jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
