Student, 10, tried to hide replica gun in school days after Christchurch massacre

A primary student brought a lifelike replica gun onto school grounds on the Monday after the Christchurch mosque massacre. The 10-year-old was caught trying to hide the gun, known as a gel blaster, in the playground before class in the state’s south.

• Hanson hasn’t watched explosive Al Jazeera video
• Killer dad exposes flaws in Firearms Registry: report

A primary student brought a lifelike replica gun onto school grounds on the Monday after the Christchurch mosque massacre.

The 10-year-old boy was caught trying to hide the gun, known as a gel blaster, in the playground before class at a school in Lavington, near Albury, in the state’s south, on March 18.

Teachers called police, who seized the imitation weapon and destroyed it.

Some gel blasters are classed as firearms in NSW because they look so similar to real military weapons.

Albury Detective Inspector Winston Woodward said the replica semiautomatic handgun seized at the school had a lifelike magazine slide-release lever.

A NSW Police Youth Liaison Officer is now in regular contact with the student and his family.

The student was caught with the lifelike replica known as a gel blaster.

MORE FROM JACK MORPHET

CONCERNED MP LOBBIES BRUNEI OVER SHARIA LAW

KANGAROOS RAID COUNTRY TOWNS IN SEARCH OF WATER

‘PEOPLE RATHER DIE THAN TELL PARENTS THEY’RE ON DRUGS’

Gel blasters fire water-soaked pellets up to 20m and are typically made to look like the type of assault rifles used in Christchurch.

The seizure in Lavington was the first time a gel blaster has been found at a school in NSW, despite their increasing popularity among children and hobbyists.

A department of education spokesman said: “The toy was secured within minutes of them hiding it in the playground before school. The find was reported appropriately and the toy held safely at school until collected by police.”

Whether gel blasters are imitation firearms or toys is a point of legal conjecture. The NSW Police Force Firearms Registry has determined gel blasters are classified as an air gun, which is a type of firearm.

The gel ball that fires from the battery-powered gel blasters has been similarly classified as ammunition.

The incident happened only days after the Christchuch massacre where 50 people were killed. Picture: Carl Court/Getty Images

Police also claim gel blasters that substantially mimic the appearance of a military style firearm are classified as a prohibited firearm, and it is therefore an offence to supply, acquire, possess or use one.

Former Parramatta toy shop owner Brad Towner believes he is the test case as to whether gel blaster guns are legal in NSW.

He is facing up to 20 years jail if found guilty of selling gel blasters without a firearm dealer’s licence when his case goes before Penrith District Court on February 10 next year.

In the meantime he has relocated his store Armoured Heaven to Yeerongpilly in Queensland, where gel blasters are flying off his shelves.

“Plenty of people in NSW ask to buy gel blasters, but I advise them to wait until after my court case so they don’t accidentally join me in jail,” Mr Towner said.

“It’s a dumb idea to take a toy gun to school, but you need to remember kids take super soakers and Nerf guns to parks all the time and no one calls the cops.”

Gel blasters are freely available in Queensland and South Australia.

Originally published as Student, 10, tried to hide replica gun in school days after Christchurch massacre