A man spotted in slumber with a handgun peeking from his sleeping bag near Oak Bay Rec. prompted swift police response, including securing students in the nearby high school Friday morning.
Oak Bay and Saanich police departments contained the area and put Oak Bay high in a “hold and secure” after the call Dec. 6 at 9:40 a.m.
Oak Bay officers and the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team arrested a 27-year-old man and discovered the firearm was a replica.
The pellet gun resembling a Sig Sauer handgun, was not used in a threatening manner or seen directly in the man's physical possession, Oak Bay police said in a news release.
The man was released from custody with a court date for breaching his previous conditions of release, which include not to possess weapons or replicas of firearms.
The nearby school was placed in a hold and secure out of an abundance of caution, Oak Bay police said.
A hold and secure is a school safety procedure designed to maximize the safety of staff and students when circumstances in the area of the school pose a potential for danger, according to the Greater Victoria School District.
"During a hold and secure, the principal/vice principal will allow the interior of the school to function as normally as possible,” according to SD61. “However, the principal/vice principal will control access to and from the school until the danger has been remedied. After any hold and secure, a communication will go out to parents/guardians briefly outlining the situation and how it was handled."
