GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — RCMP in northwestern Alberta are praising two young kids for doing the right thing when they found a loaded handgun ditched by a shooting suspect.
"The children were astute enough to not touch the weapon and immediately notified a parent," Grande Prairie RCMP said in a release.
Officers were called to the city's west side on Wednesday to investigate reports of shots being fired at a business.
A male suspect fired at some people before taking off in a vehicle with police in pursuit.
Somewhere along the way he tossed the weapon.
Ayrabella Metselaar, who is six, and her five-year-old brother, Junah, found the gun in their backyard.
"At the time you dismiss it, right, because you've got a five year old and a six year old and their imaginations go wild," said the kids' dad, Darren Metselaar.
![](https://media.darpanmagazine.com/library/uploads/news/content/gun5#@</div>
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"what could be a gun to them could be a garden scoop or any other inanimate object. as a parent i feel proud, but at the same time very, very blessed and lucky and just so happy nothing bad happened."</div>
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ayrabella and junah were given a tour of the rcmp detachment thursday, as well as awards, for doing the right thing.</div>
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matthew james bergeson, 32, of grande prairie is to appear in court monday on 15 charges, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and various weapon counts.</div>.jpg)
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