Thursday, January 31, 2008

Airsoft Guns

Over the past couple of weeks two incidents have been reported to the Sault Ste Marie Police Service dealing with “Airsoft Guns” being brought to local high schools. There are three types of Airsoft guns: spring, gas and electric. All work on the same principle of compressed gas expanding to shoot out plastic pellets. The airsoft guns that were involved in these incidents were spring loaded.

In one of the incidents a student fired an Airsoft gun from a vehicle at a group of students in the school yard.
In the other incident a student fired the Airsoft gun inside a school bus. No injuries were reported in either case.
Criminal charges have not been laid in these incidents, but the youths involved were dealt with by provisions available under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The Sault Ste Marie Police Service is advising the public that even though the Airsoft guns are not considered a firearm, they can still be considered a weapon when used against another person who is an unwilling participant. Criminal charges of assault, assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm or use of an imitation firearm in the commission or attempted commission of an indictable offence could be laid in circumstances with unwilling participants.
If these guns are brought to school, students can face consequences under the “Safe School Policy” that may range from counseling to suspension to expulsion.

On a quick glance these Airsoft guns can easily be mistaken for a real firearm. Airsoft guns are not illegal to possess or use in the appropriate environment, but Police caution that when used inappropriately they will conduct investigations that may lead to criminal charges.

Attached is a photo of one of the Airsoft guns that was seized by the Sault Ste Marie Police Service.


There are no reportable arrests from the previous 24 hours.

City police were kept busy yesterday with various calls for service due to the extreme winter storm:

Police responded to the following calls for service:

-Three minor motor vehicle collisions - no injuries
- One Snow machine collision (driver struck a ditch/culvert) - no injuries reported
- Five reports of vehicles stuck or abandoned on roadways and shoulder areas or in ditches. – No injuries

Police and Fire Services assisted the P.U.C. and the City Board of Works with numerous calls regarding fallen trees, power lines and traffic signal lights. A transformer fire in the area of Sackville Road and Second Line area resulted in Second Line being closed down for approximately one hour while repairs were done.

Police and Sault Search and Rescue assisted in the transportation of essential staff members to the Sault Area Hospital and some Nursing Homes for those that couldn’t make it in due to weather conditions.

Due to power outages throughout the city, at approximately 12:00 pm police established an assistance phone line at the Police Services Building to assist those that were without heat and had no place that they could go. The majority of the power was restored at approximately 5:30 pm.

At approximately 8:15 pm the Sault Search and Rescue, Police and Fire Services assisted with the evacuation of persons from the 544 Albert Street West apartment complex and from two residences on Allen Street due to the power outage. The residents were without power since 2 am Wednesday evening. The persons that were evacuated were provided food and shelter in the Sault Search and Rescue and Fire Services Buses.
PUC was on scene and restored the power at approximately 11 pm and the residents were allowed back into their apartments. There were approximately 20 persons assisted. One person with a medical condition was transported to hospital for observation and later released.