Police arrested two boys for allegedly stopping traffic with a fake gun.
On Saturday, November 6, UK police responded to a call regarding a group of boys throwing stones at vehicles and waving a fake gun in Reedswood Retail Park in Walsall, West Midlands. At around 10:00 am, officers detained four children, two of whom have been arrested, Unilad reports.
While messing around, the kids are said to have shouted comments like, “Stop, give me your van!” towards the oncoming traffic.
However, the fake black-painted handgun was not the only weapon on the scene. As per Metro, one of the boys also had a knife in his backpack. He and his friend, who was found to be the owner of the imitation gun, were arrested. The other two boys were sent home to their parents.
West Midlands Police posted a report on the case on Twitter.
#ARRESTS | We've arrested 2 children after reports a group were stopping traffic and pointing a gun at drivers in #Walsall.
We recovered a knife from a rucksack and an imitation gun that was painted black.
Boys aged 11 & 12 arrested. More 🔽🔽🔽https://t.co/gNynJSm0e5
— West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) November 6, 2021
Sergeant Ben Dolan, of West Midlands Police, commented:
“These children may have thought it was some kind of game or fun to be pointing a fake gun at people but this caused great concern. And it’s ended with four boys being stopped by armed police which must have been pretty scary for them.”
According to Dolan, it is “really important” for parents to “speak to their children about the dangers of carrying imitation guns and knives.”
He added:
“They can get themselves in very serious trouble.”
In a follow-up post, West Midlands Police shared a link to its #LifeOrKnife campaign, which fights knife crime in the country. The website states:
“#LifeorKnife isn’t about telling young people what is right or wrong, but showcasing the realities of knife crime, the significant impact it can have and highlighting the importance of choices.”
Our armed police attended as motorists feared the gun was genuine.
The boys are also understood to have gone into a shop and threatened staff.
Please speak to your children about the dangers of carrying weapons. Our #LifeOrKnife site can help 🔽https://t.co/8YqtMe4Qgc
— West Midlands Police (@WMPolice) November 6, 2021
