A routine bus ride in Surrey turned tense Tuesday evening after a passenger was reported to be asleep while holding what looked like a firearm, prompting an emergency police response.
According to Metro Vancouver Transit Police, a 911 call was made shortly after 6 p.m. from a city bus travelling near the intersection of 160 Street and Fraser Highway. The caller told dispatchers that a young man on board appeared to be carrying a gun while asleep.
Out of caution, transit police and Surrey RCMP officers responded to the scene and cleared the bus of other passengers before approaching the individual. Police said the 18-year-old was taken into custody without resistance.
After further inspection, officers determined the object was not a real firearm but a replica. No injuries were reported, and authorities said there was no ongoing threat to public safety.
Police noted that incidents involving imitation weapons often trigger serious emergency responses because officers must treat every report as potentially real. Law enforcement agencies across British Columbia have repeatedly warned that realistic-looking replicas can escalate situations quickly and lead to dangerous outcomes.
The incident remains under investigation.
Concerns around imitation firearms have been growing in recent years. In 2025, Vancouver became the first city in Canada to prohibit the sale of gun-shaped lighters, citing public safety risks and confusion with real weapons.
