Deputy R.M. Connelly was able to provide a very important lesson after responding to a call of a juvenile with a weapon.

On February 5th, at approximately 4:43 p.m. Deputy Connelly responded to Lowe’s located at 1330 Stafford Market Place. The caller advised there was a male in front of the business waving around a firearm. Fearing the worst, deputies quickly responded to the area.

Deputy Connelly arrived on scene and observed a male running towards Firehouse Subs. The male surrendered as soon as Deputy Connelly stepped out of his vehicle. The juvenile advised the gun wasn’t real and apologized. While waiting for the juvenile’s parent, Deputy Connelly had a long conversation with the juvenile about the dangers of having such a lifelike gun in a busy area. When one of his parents arrived on scene, she advised Deputy Connelly she had the same conversation with the juvenile an hour prior. Deputy Connelly’s conversation is sure to stick with the juvenile.

At first glance, the toy can easily be mistaken for a real firearm. No matter if it is clearly marked as a toy or not, it is good practice to not have these “toys” in public places.