By Josh Hall

education given on 'serious public safety risk'

Kids with fake guns cause stir outside Red Deer school

Mar 23, 2026 | 2:28 PM

Red Deer RCMP were forced to respond to a schoolground on Sunday where a witness reported kids with guns.

Mounties are now reminding youth and parents of the serious public safety risks and potential legal consequences associated with replica and imitation firearms.

It was just after 2 p.m. on March 22 when RCMP received a firearms complaint, with the caller pointing them to the park next to Koinonia Christian School in Riverside Meadows.

It’s said that multiple police members arrived quickly and found multiple youth in a park with toy firearms. The replica guns were battery-operated and were being used to shoot gel-blaster balls from a distance.

The firearms were easily mistaken for real ones, they add.

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In the end, the youth involved were compliant with police, and no one was harmed. The kids were allowed to keep the toys, but both they and their parents were spoken to about the use of them in public spaces.

RCMP say the youth seemed to realize the gravity of the police response and what they had to say.

“Red Deer RCMP remind the public that replica firearms, including airsoft, pellet, BB, or toy guns designed to resemble real firearms, may result in seizure, criminal charges, or other enforcement action depending on the circumstances. Public awareness and early education are key to preventing tragic outcomes,” they say in a release.

“Parents play an important role in education and prevention. Toy and replica firearms that are indistinguishable from real firearms can create heightened fear. When replica firearms are present, the individuals in possession, members of the public and responding officers are placed at significant risk.”

If you have any information regarding crime within Red Deer, contact the Red Deer RCMP at 403-406-2200. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.