ON September 30, at approximately 12:47 a.m., Chilliwack RCMP responded to a report from a member of the public who stated that there was a group of male youths near the intersection of Promontory Road and Teskey Road and that one of youths had pointed a handgun at him and made verbal threats.

Police made an immediate coordinated response, rushing officers to the area where they observed four male youths fleeing the scene. Frontline officers engaged in a foot pursuit and successfully arrested three of the individuals.

One of the arrested males matched the description provided by the complainant as the male who had pointed the firearm at him. A search of the suspect revealed a tan replica Glock 19x handgun tucked into the waistband of his pants. During the incident, there was no way for the complainant, or responding officers, to know that the firearm was a replica (see photos of a real Glock 19x and the seized replica.)

Thankfully, no injuries were reported, police said. The suspect, a 17-year-old male from Chilliwack, was transported to Chilliwack RCMP cells and held in custody pending a bail hearing. He has since been released to the care of his guardian under court-imposed conditions.

Charges sworn include assault with a weapon, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. While the youth does not have a criminal record, he is well known to police.

“This incident underscores the dangers posed by replica firearms and the importance of swift, coordinated police response. Police must treat all firearm-related reports as real and respond accordingly to protect the public. Individuals who openly carry replica firearms in public should expect a high-risk police response,” said Sgt. Alexandra Mulvihill, spokesperson for Chilliwack RCMP.

The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Chilliwack RCMP or Crime Stoppers anonymously.