OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — A 16-year-old male from Oshkosh is in custody following a fake gun incident at a skate park, the Oshkosh Police Department said in a media release.
Around 12:40 p.m. on Tuesday, authorities were called to the Oshkosh Skate Park — located at 1570 Taft Avenue in Oshkosh — for a disturbance involving multiple teenagers. The initial report indicated one of the teenagers had displayed a handgun.
Upon officers' arrival, the group of teenagers ran to the 1000 Block of N Lark Street. A 16-year-old boy took out a replica gun and pointed the weapon at several people while threatening to kill them, according to the release.
When police tried to approach the 16-year-old, he ran.
After a short pursuit, the teenager was taken into custody for Disorderly Conduct, Resisting an Officer, and seven counts of Recklessly Endangering Safety.
This incident caused Oshkosh West High School to be placed under a "secure status" for about 15 minutes.
No one was injured.
Oshkosh Police said it encourages parents to educate themselves on the risks associated with children having fake weapons.
"Replica handguns can be easily mistaken for real firearms by law enforcement officers and the general public due to their realistic appearance," the release said. "This can quickly escalate situations and lead to potentially tragic outcomes during disturbances."
If anyone has information related to this accident, they should contact the Oshkosh Police Department at 920-236-5700.
