Chilliwack – On Sunday afternoon (May 7), Chilliwack RCMP received a report of a man carrying what appeared to be a rifle walking in the area of Ashwell Road and Kipp Avenue. Police attended and set up containment. The man was located and taken into police custody. A long barrelled bb/pellet gun, which resembled a rifle, was seized by police. The man was spoken to regarding the dangers of his actions and was later released without charge.
“This incident serves as a reminder that any object that closely resembles a firearm is likely to cause safety concerns and generate reports to the police,” says Sgt. Krista Vrolyk, Media spokesperson for the Chilliwack RCMP. “Pellet guns and bb guns often have the appearance of genuine firearms, making it difficult for both the public and responding officers to distinguish them from real ones. When a passerby observes someone in possession of what appears to be a long barrelled gun walking in a residential or urban area, it creates a public safety concern. This creates safety risks to the person in possession of the imitation firearm, bystanders and responding police officers who will deal with any reported firearm as authentic until they can safely determine that it is not.”
