West Shore RCMP say a replica handgun was seized from a 13-year-old boy at a Langford schoolyard on Tuesday.
On Oct. 6 at around 3:30 p.m., West Shore RCMP received a report of a student branding a handgun in the schoolyard at Ruth King Elementary, located at 2764 Jacklin Rd. in Langford.
Police said the call came from an adult in the area who had seen a boy standing with a group of friends and pulling out a handgun tucked into his waistband. The adult reported that the boy had told the group not to worry as the gun wasn’t loaded.
Numerous West Shore RCMP frontline officers went to the area immediately and located the boy. He was identified as a 13-year-old who was not a student at Ruth King Elementary. He was arrested for possessing a weapon dangerous to the public.
Police said they discovered the gun was a replica and it was seized by officers.
Police said they must treat all weapons reports as if “they are real until determined otherwise.”
“The youth’s parents were called and met with police. Although this was a replica gun and no one was threatened or harmed in this incident, police educated the youth on the dangers of possessing and displaying a replica handgun, especially near a school,” Const. Nancy Saggar, West Shore RCMP media relations officer said in a statement. “In this case, the youth was arrested to ensure everyone’s safety while police conducted their investigation. The youth will not be charged. The youth recognized the error in his behaviour and apologized for the incident. School District 62 Safe Schools Coordinator and school administration has been updated.”
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