Mounties arrest 3 after separate weapons complaints on same Nanaimo street

The airsoft pistol and converted flare gun will eventually be destroyed, according to police. (RCMP)

Mounties in Nanaimo arrested three men after a pair of separate firearms complaints on the same downtown street Monday morning.

Officers were called to a fight on Cavan Street just after 8 a.m. and were told that one of the men was carrying a handgun.

Two people were arrested at the scene and officers found an airsoft pistol in a grocery bag, however ownership of the weapon could not be established, the Nanaimo RCMP said in a statement Thursday.

One of the men, a 19-year-old of no fixed address, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for assault causing bodily harm and was taken to Nanaimo RCMP holding cells.

The other man, who police described as "extremely agitated" was arrested released from custody several hours later.

Approximately 90 minutes later, police were called again to Cavan Street for a report that a handgun was seen in a vehicle occupied by several people.

Several people were removed from the vehicle, including Ron Arndt, 29, who was arrested and found to be in possession of a flare gun that was modified to fire .22-calibre bullets, police said.

Arndt was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and other firearm-related offences, the statement said.

He appeared in Nanaimo provincial court Wednesday and will remain in police custody until Monday, July 31.

"Both of these incidents were considered high-risk as firearms were involved and required numerous officers to attend to and deal with safely," Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson Const. Gary O'Brien said.

"The citizens of Nanaimo should take comfort in knowing that the RCMP officers who serve this city are highly trained and are capable and ready to deal with these kinds of situations."

The airsoft pistol and converted flare gun will eventually be destroyed, according to police.