Barrie police are reminding residents about gun safety after a BB gun closely resembling a firearm was discovered in a ditch on Tuesday.
Officers responded to the report of a weapon being found in the area of Huronia Road and Loon Avenue that afternoon after two passersby alerted officials at the nearby fire station.
Members of the service's tactical support unit attended the scene and safely retrieved the item from the ditch, later confirming it to be a BB gun.
"BB guns can closely resemble real firearms and it’s not always possible to immediately tell the difference," the service stated in a release. "Members of the public are advised to never assume a weapon is a BB gun, replica, or otherwise harmless based solely on its appearance."
Police are reminding residents not to touch or handle a firearm or suspected firearm if found, and instead to move to a safe location and contact police.
Further, police say that if someone is seen carrying a suspected firearm, 911 should be called if there's an immediate concern for safety. Parents and guardians are also encouraged to teach kids that BB guns and replica firearms are not toys and should never be displayed or handled in public.
