In a recent video posted to Twitter by the Vancouver Police Department, five guns lie on a table to demonstrate what VPD is calling a concerning trend in youth violence.
Four are replicas, one is real.
The four replicas are pellet and airsoft guns that were seized from youth in the community in the last month, according to the police.
The video was posted to show that, to seasoned officers and victims of gun violence, it is near impossible to tell the difference between replica handguns and the real thing on sight.
Vancouver police spokesman Sgt. Jason Robillard picks up the real Glock handgun and compares it to a replica, noting in the video that the weights are near identical.
It is legal to own pellet and airsoft guns but the context in which they are carried or used can make them illegal. For instance, if a replica gun is used in the commission of a crime, used carelessly, or indiscernible from a real firearm.
