HALIFAX — Halifax police say there has been a spike in the number of youths recently spotted brandishing imitation firearms in the city, which officers say could lead to a deadly confrontation.
Staff Sgt. Nick Pepler told a news conference Wednesday that since Jan. 1, officers have responded to 60 incidents involving pellet or BB guns, adding that 20 of those cases involved youths. He did not say how much of an increase that number was compared with prior years.
Pepler stressed that these weapons, while not actual firearms, can look and feel exactly like the real thing. More importantly, he said there’s no way for officers in the field to quickly distinguish a replica from an authentic firearm.
The senior officer pointed to six handguns and a rifle on a nearby table, all but one of which were either an air- or spring-powered BB or pellet gun that closely resembled a real weapon.
“If police see a weapon like those … drawn in a threatening manner, there is no time to stop and determine whether or not that gun is a replica,” said Pepler, whose special enforcement section oversees the guns and gangs unit.
“Officers are trained to make split-second decisions to save the lives of others who are perceived to be in danger …. There’s a real possibility … that somebody could end up shot dead by the police.”
Pepler confirmed that on May 26, a youth was photographed in a McDonald’s restaurant in suburban Bedford carrying an airsoft gun, which is a low-velocity air-powered weapon that shoots small, plastic or biodegradable BBs.
A 15-year-old youth was later charged with several offences including possession of a dangerous weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, uttering threats and mischief.
“We’re issuing a plea today to help youth understand the risks of playing with imitation firearms,” Pepler said. “And this plea also extends to parents, guardians, teachers and anyone that can help us spread the message.”
When asked what was behind the rise in this type of case, Pepler said he wasn’t sure. “I think it’s probably a cyclical thing where teens are feeling a little dangerous and want to present themselves that way.”
Within the last year, similar incidents have been reported across the country.
Last month, police in Thunder Bay, Ont., urged youths to avoid playing a game known as “senior assassin,” which involves senior high school students using water guns to tag opponents. The warning came after police received a report of a driver wielding what appeared to be a handgun. It was later determined to be a replica connected to the game.
Pepler confirmed that police in Halifax have dealt with several complaints about youths playing the game, some using water guns painted black.
Meanwhile, RCMP in Red Deer, Alta., issued a warning in March about replica guns after several teens were spotted near a school carrying guns that were later identified as Gel Blasters, which shoot water-soaked beads similar to paint balls.
“From a distance, the firearms were easily mistaken for real firearms,” Red Deer RCMP said in a statement.
In September, a 14-year-old boy in Alberta was charged after police were called to a high school near Edmonton, where a teacher spotted a student in class with a gun, which turned out to be an imitation weapon.
A month earlier, a 17-year-old was arrested in Abbotsford, B.C., after police responded to a series of drive-by attacks involving someone firing pellets or BBs at pedestrians in the Fraser Valley.
At the news conference in Halifax, Pepler said this kind of careless behaviour can leave community members traumatized.
“I want you to imagine someone carrying one of these (imitation guns) outside of a school where your children attend, or seeing someone draw and point one of those weapons inside of a family restaurant,” he said.
“Bystanders do not know the weapon isn’t real, and suddenly people fear for their lives, their children, their families and their loved ones.”
Pepler said he did not know how many of the 60 incidents involving imitation weapons resulted in charges or how many times officers drew their weapons when responding to such calls.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2026.
Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press