Regina Police say around 9:30 Monday morning at a high school on North Argyle Street, the School Resource Officer was approached by a school administrator who had been told that one of the students may have a gun. The student was brought to the office, and it’s alleged a gun was found that looked realistic. It wasn’t until the SRO checked to see if it was loaded that he realized it was a CO2 pistol. The weapon was seized and the student is now charged with possession of a weapon for a purpose dangerous to public peace.

The Regina Police Service emphasizes that it is not a good idea to carry an imitation firearm. They look like the real thing and could elicit a real reaction from others. “If a police officer is faced with someone pointing a firearm, the officer can only respond in one way: stop the threat. There is no opportunity to debate whether or not the gun is real. The resulting action (or hesitation) could end a life.” A news release from the Regina Police Service notes that just because you can buy realistic-looking CO2 pistols (or any other imitation firearms) doesn’t make it legal to carry them around.