Durham teen charged after pellet gun pointed at Carleton University students

Ottawa police arrested an 18-year-old from Durham Region after he allegedly pointed a BB gun at Carleton University students.

Campus security called the Ottawa Police Service around 2 am November 27, after reports of a man aiming a pistol at students. At that time, Carleton Security was investigating the incident.

Shortly after Ottawa officers arrived to take over the investigation they arrested arrested the suspect According to police he had a fake driver’s license on him when arrested.

OPS officers soon found the weapon and discovered it was a pellet gun.

The 18-year-old, who OPS did not name, was charged with pointing a firearm, possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace, and possession of a fraudulent document. He has been released on conditions.

Ottawa has seen a rash of fake guns being either brandished or otherwise used in the commission of crimes, leading to OPS releasing a formal warning to the community in March.

By that time, Ottawa officers had seized 30 fake weapons in the course of various investigations. They confiscated 260 in 2020. “These firearms are often designed to look like the real thing and it is often impossible to distinguish them from a real gun,” said Inspector Carl Cartwright.

When a concerned member of the public calls 911 about a gun in the community, police are dispatched and treat the firearm as real until it is determined not to be,” he added.

For all legislative and judicial purposes an imitation firearm is treated the same as real firearm and will carry the same charges.