Regina police respond to multiple gun reports Thursday

Regina Police Service (RPS) cruisers can be seen in this file photo.

Regina police responded to three separate reports about guns on Thursday.

Two of them ended up involving lighters designed to look like firearms, while the first call involved a “rifle-style” pellet gun. One of the calls caused a nearby school to secure its building.

“Any time officers are dispatched to a report of a firearm, additional safety measures and responses must be considered,” said Deputy Chief Laurel Marshall in a news release.

“All calls must be treated as though the firearms are real, even if they turn out to be imitation.”

The first incident happened around 10 a.m. when multiple callers reported a man walking near Arcola Avenue and Winnipeg Street carrying what appeared to be a long gun.

According to the release, the man was found at a park in the 1700 block of 11th Avenue.

Police seized the rifle-style pellet gun from the man and charged him with possession of a weapon.

The 23-year-old is scheduled to make his first appearance at Regina Provincial Court on June 24.

Later at noon, police responded to a weapons report at a business in the 4200 block of East Buckingham Drive.

Police say a man was seen with a firearm and a nearby school secured the building as a precaution. The suspect was located and taken into custody without incident.

They say he was found with three knives and a lighter designed to look like a gun.

The 33-year-old suspect was charged with possession of a weapon and failing to comply with probation order. He’s set to appear in court on June 24.

Around the same time, police received a report of a male and female sitting outside the 3500 block of Dewdney Avenue.

The male was reportedly holding a firearm. Officers arrived and took both into custody without incident, finding a lighter designed to look like a handgun as well as a bag of shotgun ammunition.

The female, who was a youth, was released without charges while the 19-year-old man was charged with failing to comply with a disposition. He’s set to appear in Regina Provincial Court on June 26.