If you are going to point a gun at a car in a heavily populated area in the middle of the afternoon, chances are good the police will be called.

When a startled pedestrian saw a man pull a gun from his front waistband near Granville and Smithe and point it at a car as it drove by, they immediately called 9-1-1. They watched as the suspect got into a car and left the area, taking note of his bright orange toque and multiple tattoos.

VPD officers stopped the car a few blocks away, placing their front bumper nose-to-nose with the suspect vehicle’s front bumper. The high-risk stop involved officers with their guns drawn, giving verbal directions to the three people inside the car. The driver yelled that the gun wasn’t real, but the officers couldn’t simply take his word for it.

All the occupants were called out of the vehicle one by one. The suspect appeared not to grasp the seriousness of the situation, as he danced and strutted toward officers when he was taken into custody.

A search of the vehicle turned up a replica Glock handgun. An interview with the three occupants of the car revealed the suspect had just bought the gun earlier in the day, and that they were filming a video for their Instagram account.

Ultimately, the three men understood how dangerous their actions were. The gun was seized and there were no charges.