Don't play around with prop guns in front of a bank. That's the lesson a couple of high school students have learned after their film shoot quickly became the subject of a full-on police takedown Wednesday morning.
After a call came in, Cranbrook RCMP promptly responded to a call about a potential armed robbery at a downtown Cranbrook bank.
It turned out to be group of Mount Baker Secondary students wielding a realistic prop handgun, but the seven officers who responded had to assume it was not a drill.
A passerby saw the group with the prop handgun and called it in.
Immediately police descended in full force and instructed the students to get on the ground.
However, after the situation was defused and police had a chat with the students they were let on their way.
Cpl. Rod Hrehirchuk said the situation is a good opportunity to remind people to think about how their actions may be perceived before doing it.
He said officers have to assume the danger is real and act accordingly.
In Canada toy and prop guns have to have an orange barrel tip as otherwise they oftentimes look identical to real firearms.
Hrehirchuk said an incident like this one had the potential to end badly.
He said they didn’t confiscate the prop.