Man carrying replica handgun arrested at Victoria nightclub
![vicpd replica The seized replica handgun is shown. (VicPD)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2023/3/27/vicpd-replica-1-6331243-1679954693868.jpg)
Victoria police say a man was arrested after officers received a report of a man carrying a handgun at a downtown club over the weekend.
Officers were called to the nightclub near Bastion Square around 2 a.m. on Sunday after security staff at the business called 911.
Police were told that staff saw the man drop what appeared to be a handgun onto the ground, before picking it back up and putting it in his waistband.
"Security staff spotted the gun, created an action plan, called 911 and immediately moved in, disarming him within two minutes of spotting the weapon," said VicPD in a statement Monday.
Police say "all available officers" responded to the 911 call and when they arrived, the man was already being held by club staff.
Responding officers say the man was carrying a replica handgun that resembled a real firearm and that is designed to fire paintballs, rubber balls, or pepper balls.
The man was then taken to VicPD cells.
Victoria police say that officers seize an average of one real firearm and one replica firearm each week.
"Based on real firearms and 'replica firearms' seized in 2022, when encountering a report of a firearm, officers face a 50/50 chance that it is a real, functioning gun," said VicPD.
The investigation into Sunday's incident is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Victoria police at 250-995-7654.
Anyone who spots someone holding something that looks like a gun is asked to call 911, police add.
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