Two men were detained for a short time Tuesday afternoon as Vernon RCMP responded to investigate a weapons complaint.
A heavy police presence was seen around 32nd Street and 25th Avenue and traffic was crawling down Hospital Hill just after noon on Sept. 3.
Vernon North Okanagan RCMP received a call from a concerned resident reporting a man was in possession of what appeared to be a long gun or rifle in a vehicle travelling northbound on Highway 97 near Lake Country.
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“The complaint elicited a full precautionary police response, resulting in multiple frontline officers responding and locating the vehicle near Polson Park in Vernon,” the RCMP statement said.
Two individuals detained were co-operative with police and arrested with no incident.
Turns out, it was a paintball gun.
“RCMP take all firearm complaints seriously, given the potential threat to public and police safety,” Const. Kelly Brett said. “Our officers treat every weapon or firearm as real until proven they are not.”
The two individuals were issued a verbal warning and were released from custody.
The vehicle, however, was impounded under the Motor Vehicle Act for mechanical inspection.
“It is incredibly important for people to realize that airsoft or paintball weapons can look and feel very real and pose a great risk to those who have them in their possession when not in a controlled environment,” Const. Brett said.
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