Fake gun garners real-life consequences
By Trail Champion
On Oct. 4, at 8:37 p.m.. a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer was conducting a patrol when she located a 34-year-old Trail man allegedly brandishing a replica handgun near the intersection of Bay Avenue and Daniel Street in Trail, according to Trail RCMP top cop Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.
“The officer spotted the handgun sticking out of the top of the man’s fanny pack as she approached him,” Wiventowich said. “The man was compliant with the officer’s verbal directions as she seized the look-a-like weapon from him while maintaining her safety.
:”Afterward, the man told the officer that he recently purchased the item and believed it was a legal to possess as his air pistol. The officer noted that the seized handgun appeared to be an exact copy of the real handgun, therefore’ it was a prohibited device under the Criminal Code. Another alarming fact to the officer that the man was carrying openly in a public space.
“The Trail RCMP continue to investigation the 34-year-old Trail man for Possessing a Prohibited Replica Firearm contrary to Section 84(e) of the Criminal Code and for Carrying a Prohibited device contrary to Section 90(1) of the Criminal Code.
:”Trail and Greater District RCMP would like to warn the public to not purchase such items outside of legitimate sources and advise against any item resembling a weapon in public spaces. Legal purchased air pistols and replica firearms that fire pellets with compressed air are similar in appearance and function; however, are treated vastly different under the Criminal Code. It is extremely important to know the legal description of a firearm as one may face criminal repercussions.”
