Yellowknife (Sep 22/06) - A gun scare at Weledeh Catholic school Tuesday afternoon turned up a broken BB gun, according to police.

Principal Merril Dean said students reported an older student had a gun on the playground just outside the school.

As a precaution, Dean immediately called the police and went to investigate.

"You're not going to wait and see if it's a toy gun," said Dean.

She said she discovered it was a toy gun, apparently bought at a store in town. It was confiscated.

BB guns are air-guns made to shoot small, spherical pellets. RCMP Sgt. Darcy Fleury said the police have only responded to one other call about a BB gun at a school.

The incident happened at the end of the last school year at St. Joseph school.

When asked if they were dangerous, Fleury said, "They can have some force."

BB pellets are most commonly associated with eye injuries. Fleury said police have a presence in Yellowknife schools through the D.A.R.E. program - a drug and alcohol awareness program - and also talk to students about other issues like weapons.

Mike Huvenaars, assistant superintendent of Yellowknife Catholic school board, said any weapon or replica, which includes toy guns and rubber knives, are to be confiscated.

When asked how often students bring weapons or replica weapons to school he said, "Not very often. I don't know that it even happens once a year."