Fake gun to bring real gun charges against Summerside man

Two women in Summerside, P.E.I., were 'fairly shaken up' at 12:15 a.m.Wednesday when they saw someone approaching their car with what they told police looked like an assault rifle, say city police.

"They actually drove over the curb and over some grass to get away from the person who was approaching the car with the weapon. They thought it was an actual legitimate rifle and that this person was approaching them in the parking lot with the gun," said Summerside police Corp. Jason Blacquiere.

"They were fairly shaken up. They came right to our office and they were obviously concerned. They felt, and legitimately so, that the gun was real and they didn't know what this person's intentions were."

The women were acquainted with the man, said Blacquiere, and police were able to track him down within about 15 minutes. Four officers dressed in body armour and carrying carbine rifles made the arrest without incident.

Results could have been tragic, say police

Police said he told them he had gone home,dropped the gunoff there, and then headed back out on the street. Blacquieresaid police recovered a replica assault rifle from the man's apartment. The replica was marked "M4A1 carbine" and "Property of U.S. GOVT."

The man was jailed overnight and scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

"These guns look like the real thing and you have to treat them as though they are real until you know differently," said Blacquiere.

"There's been instances where people carrying these so-called replica guns have actually pointed them at people or pointed them at police with tragic consequences. Luckily that wasn't the case."

Blacquiere said even though it wasn't a real weapon it can only shoot plastic pellets using the replica as if it was a weapon can lead to firearms charges. He said the man faces charges of careless use of a firearm and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and the Crown is considering the possibility of other charges.

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With files from Laura Chapinand Brian Higgins