A Red Deer man faces four criminal charges after pointing an imitation firearm at several people at a car dealership the afternoon of June 20th before being arrested by RCMP in a nearby restaurant.

At 2:45 p.m. on June 20th, Red Deer RCMP responded to a report of a man with a firearm at a south end car dealership on 50th Ave. When staff approached a suspicious male in the parking lot, he displayed what appeared to be a handgun and pointed it at several staff members before fleeing to a nearby restaurant. Red Deer RCMP responded immediately and located the suspect, taking him into custody without incident. Police seized the weapon and determined that it was an imitation firearm.

There was heavy police presence in the area during this incident as police responded to this potential public safety issue. RCMP thank the public for their cooperation and support throughout the investigation.

Robert Charles Richards, 35, faces the charges of three counts of assault with a weapon and using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence.

– Submitted by Red Deer RCMP