Sleeping bus passenger with replica gun triggers 911 response in Surrey, B.C., police say

A "not in service" sign is seen on a TransLink bus on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. (CTV News)

There were tense moments aboard a city bus in Surrey, B.C., Tuesday evening after a sleeping passenger was spotted with what looked like a gun—but turned out to be a replica.

Metro Vancouver Transit Police said someone called 911 for help on a bus travelling along 160 Street and Fraser Highway around 6:15 p.m.

“The caller reported a young man asleep with what appeared to be a firearm in his possession,” MVTP spokesperson Const. Amanda Steed said in an email.

“Surrey RCMP and transit police officers attended and out of abundance of caution, the bus was evacuated of all other passengers.”

Authorities said they took an 18-year-old into custody without incident, and determined the suspected gun was actually a replica.

No one was injured during the incident, which remains under investigation, Steed said.

There have been growing concerns from law enforcement agencies in B.C. around imitation firearms, which they warn can cause police incidents to escalate quickly—with potentially serious consequences.

Last year, Vancouver became the first Canadian city to ban the sale of gun-shaped lighters over similar concerns.