On May 16, shortly after 4 p.m., three young male adults 17-19 years of age caused a ruckus in downtown Drumheller staging a mock shooting with an Airsoft gun.
One male went and stood outside of the main doors to the Royal Bank, while the other two were stopped in a vehicle near by. The driver of the car then pulled out an Airsoft pistol that strongly resembled a real pistol, and began shooting at his accomplice in front of the bank. This gave the appearance of someone being shot outside of the bank.
The driver then attempted to leave the scene. This pistol not only resembled a real gun but when shot it makes a sound that could be mistaken as gunfire.
Corporal Kevin Charles was near the bank in civilian clothing. He witnessed the incident and subsequently stopped the vehicle as it attempted to leave the scene. The three males were arrested, although no charges were laid. The Airsoft pistol was voluntarily turned over for destruction.
Under the provisions of the Criminal Code, these three males could be charged for Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose which has a penalty if found guilty of incarceration of up to 10 years in jail.
When interviewed at the scene, the three males said they thought it would be funny to perform this stunt and did not think of the ramifications.
The weapon in this case was very realistic and under the right circumstances could have resulted in the male with the gun being shot by police.
“Many of these guns are made to look just like a real gun, and that may be part of the lure. Many youths have these guns and do not think of them as guns,” said Staff Sergeant Art Hopkins. “It is important to remember that it is not what the holder thinks or knows it to be, it is important what the witness or victim believes it is. Parents who know their children have these guns should ensure that they are used for the purpose they were designed and not for pranks.”