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Mounties used a stun gun on a man in Penticton after mistaking his pellet gun for a lethal weapon.
It happened around 12:30 pm on Nov. 12 in the Real Canadian Superstore parking lot, police said.
A report had come in of a man holding a handgun while sitting in a car.
Witnesses told police “it appeared the man was loading bullets into the magazine.”
When officers went to the scene, the man initially complied with their requests.
But he later started “ignoring commands,” police said, and “turning away from the police and reaching into his pockets.”
At that point he was hit with a conducted energy weapon.
A search of his car turned up a pellet gun.
"Pellet guns or replica firearms have become almost identical in appearance to the real thing,” Sgt. Jason Bayda said.
“It is very difficult for the public or an officer to tell the difference.”
He added: “This is why it is so important to remain cognizant of where you are handling them. Handling them in view of [the] public in a busy area is going to garner a quick police response that often requires police to have to make split second decisions.”
The pellet gun had been purchased to deal with a rodent problem, police later found out.