RCMP responded to a report of a student in possession of a possible handgun at Fort St. James Secondary School Monday, Feb. 24.
At around 1:50 p.m., RCMP were informed by the school administration of a report by a student he or she had seen another student at the school in possession of a handgun.
“The RCMP were immediately contacted and were on the scene within minutes,” said a statement from school administration going out to parents after the incident.
Police on duty at the time were immediately sent to create a perimeter around the school, but they quickly learned the weapon involved was not a firearm. The realistic-looking pellet gun was believed to have been passed around by a small group of friends.
RCMP then located the pellet gun and seized it.
Once it was determined no criminal charges were warranted in the case, it was determined the school would deal with the students involved internally.
School District 91 Director of Instruction Manu Madhok said the disciplinary process began immediately and will continue on in partnership with the RCMP and will be both educational and disciplinary.
The replica hand gun is expected to be destroyed by police.
While the school district does have policies around illegal weapons and firearms at schools, there is not a policy addressing these types of guns, as pellet guns or airsoft guns are not controlled weapons.
Madhok said the school district will probably need to go back and look at possibly developing a specific policy around these types of guns, as they are becoming more common.
RCMP said the modern pellet and airsoft guns are being made more and more realistic-looking, which can lead to problems and even imitation weapons involved in any type of offence, such as uttering threats, carry serious criminal charges.
