Gun scare that forced evacuation of Nanaimo mall caused by replica weapon: RCMP

Nanaimo RCMP say an imitation gun was at the centre of a heavy police response and closure at the city’s Woodgrove Mall on Monday.

According to police, officers were called to the mall around 5:20 p.m. after security reported seeing a youth pull a handgun from his waistband.

Nanaimo RCMP officers, along with the Emergency Response Team and a dog squad, responded and the mall was evacuated and placed on lockdown, police said.

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Mounties said they found the suspect at another location, and recovered an imitation firearm.

He was held overnight, and was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday, police said.

The mall was reopened around 7 p.m., according to police.

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