On August 7 at approximately 4:30pm an officer attended to a multi-dwelling unit in the downtown core for a routine follow up on a complaint. The attending officer arrived at the complex parking lot intending to speak with a person about a minor compliant. As the officer was walking to the building he observed a male, unrelated to the call for service, standing in the lot holding a hand gun and he appeared to be manipulating the weapon as if he was trying to place a round into the chamber. The officer responded to this by drawing his service firearm and issued verbal police challenges for the male to drop the weapon. Several verbal commands to drop the gun were ignored and the officer placed a radio call for immediate back up. The male then started closing the distance towards the officer, simultaneously stuffing the gun in his waist band. The suspect then stumbled and fell into a seated position on the ground and still did not relinquish the weapon as directed. The male then began reaching for the weapon in his waistband at which time a second officer arrived on scene. The male, resisted arrest and was able to be controlled by both officers.

This male was then secured into custody and the weapon was seized from his waistband. This handgun was then discovered to be a replica firearm. The male was also noted to be under the influence of alcohol and possible narcotics.

The male is being held in custody to await a Judicial Interim Release hearing on the following charges:

• Possess weapon dangerous to public peace
• Breach of Undertaking
• Breach of Probation
• Outstanding warrants

“Replica firearms” by definition, look and feel like a real firearm, hence the term “replica”. When these devices are abused in such as a fashion, a great amount of risk comes with that behavior. Responding police are put in a critical position and have to make rapid decisions to assess the threat. There is no “time-out” for an officer to get a close look and analyze the weapon to see if its real or not. It is very fortunate that these two seasoned officers were able to diffuse this crisis as it had a high risk of becoming a lethal confrontation.

The males name is not being released as the bail hearing as not yet been conducted.

Media contact

S/Sgt Fraser 279

403-529-8461