Weapons seized, man charged after back-to-back Nanaimo gun incidents

Mounties confiscated two handguns and arrested three people after back-to-back, unrelated weapons calls on the same Nanaimo, B.C., street.

Police said the incidents took place between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Monday on Cavan Street near Highway 1.

The first involved a large fight, with reports of a person who had a suspected handgun. Nanaimo RCMP attended and found an airsoft pistol in a grocery bag, but said they couldn’t determine who owned it or whether it had been pointed at anyone or used in a threatening way.

In a Tuesday news release, RCMP said a 19-year-old was arrested at the scene on an outstanding warrant for assault causing bodily harm and taken into custody. A second man was arrested but later released.

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Two hours later, in the same area, officers were tipped off about a handgun in a vehicle.

They responded, removed its occupants and found a man in possession of a flare gun that was modified to fire 22-calibre bullets.

A 29-year-old man was charged with various firearms offences, including possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace. He appeared in Nanaimo provincial court on Wednesday and has been remanded until next Monday, police said.

Both the flare gun and the airsoft pistol are slated to be destroyed, Nanaimo RCMP said.