York police warn of gel gun dangers after teens charged

Police in York Region are warning the public about the use of gel guns after two teens allegedly shot the replica firearms at multiple people in Vaughan.

Replica guns can look identical to real guns, they said in a news release Wednesday, and could result in officers making "quick decisions" with "significant consequences."

"Citizens should be aware that when police respond to any call involving a firearm, it is treated as legitimate until an investigation can determine otherwise," the release says.

On June 24, police responded to a weapons call in the area of Lady Dolores Avenue and Lady Loretta Lane, where two 14-year-old teens allegedly shot a woman with a gel-bead Orbeez gun. No injuries were reported, and police gave the teens a warning to not repeat the incident.

More recently, on July 27 at approximately 5:30 p.m., police responded to two separate incidents where victims were struck by gel projectiles in the area of Bathurst Street and Rutherford Road. A 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy from Vaughan and Aurora were charged two counts each of assault with a weapon. No serious injuries were reported, police said.

Police warn that there is often no way for officers to immediately tell if a weapon is real and that police have opened fire in cases where a weapon is later found to be a replica.

Using replica firearms in crimes can lead to serious charges and residents are urged to consider the potential consequences before purchasing or using these items.

"For the safety of our communities, we strongly discourage the purchase and use of any of these items in our region," they said.