Surrey RCMP warn parents of kids’ irresponsible BB and airsoft gun use

SURREY (NEWS 1130) – Mounties are reminding kids and their parents to be smart with their BB and airsoft guns as calls about unsafe use continue to climb.

Officers regularly respond to more than 100 gun-related calls that turn out to be false alarms, according to Corporal Scotty Schumann says. He says the Youth Section has seen more kids posting photos and videos of themselves with the very realistic looking toys online or bringing them to school.

“Young boys specifically are posing with imitation firearms on Facebook; holding them out to sort of be real or to appear like a gangster. This causes us a lot of concern because obviously we don’t want to glorify that kind of behaviour and it certainly doesn’t serve the community well,” Schumann says.

Police must respond to each incident as though the weapon was real.

“Kids should not be bringing these types of toys to school and should not be playing with them out in the public where they could be seen as being the real thing by an unsuspecting passerby,” Schumann says.

Surrey Schools Safe Schools has seized more of these imitation guns this year than ever before, director Rob Rai says

“In many cases, though perhaps well-intentioned, parents have bought them as toys for their child,” Rai, says.

In January a school in Delta temporarily went into lockdown after a student sent a joke photo with a BB gun to friends but then it got out to the general public.

Replica and toy weapons are banned from school and any off-campus school activities.

While the gun may be fake, the criminal charges could be real if someone threatens or assaults someone or damages property with the toy.

Most of the time consequences include interventions and discussions with students, parents, counsellors or referrals to our Youth Intervention Program.

Schumann encourages parents to consider alternative gifts for their children.

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