Star Wars Stormtrooper Reported As Armed Suspect
A man wearing stormtrooper armor was detained by Scottish police who had received reports that he was armed and dangerous. As it turns out, the Star Wars stormtrooper was just on his way to a comic book convention when civilians thought his plastic blaster was a real gun.
The Grampian Stormtrooper Gets Hassled
The Star Wars cosplayer, known as the Grampian Stormtrooper on social media, was made late for a comic con event thanks to his costume looking a bit too real. Frightened train passengers reported the man for carrying a gun, which caused the train to change course and return to the station. The man was wearing full Imperial Stormtrooper regalia, plus a kilt added for a traditional Scottish twist.
The authorities responded to a reported sighting of an armed individual. They escorted the Star Wars stormtrooper from the train station, where he was brought to an office to chat with two firearms officers, three Police Scotland, and two British Transport police.
A False Alarm
The police soon found out that the cause for alarm was the cosplayer’s realistic looking blaster rifle, a classic prop for Star Wars fans, especially stormtroopers. But despite the prop not being an actual weapon, the police escorted the cosplayer home. The cosplayer, who’s real identity has remained anonymous, then grabbed a bag for his blaster so he wouldn’t alarm any other Scottish residents on their way to Dundee.
Forced To Travel Light
In addition to being asked to keep his Star Wars blaster rifle concealed, the man was also asked by authorities not to wear his full stormtrooper armor on the train. The cosplayer said it was the first time in 10 years of cosplaying that he’d been approached by police.
A spokesperson for the British Transport Police confirmed the incident, attributing it to a false alarm. “Officers received reports of a man with a firearm entering Aberdeen station just before 9 a.m. on Saturday (April 6),” the contact stated. “Officers attended alongside colleagues from Police Scotland and it was determined it was a false alarm.”
Not The First Time Cops And Cosplayers Have Had Issues
While the Star Wars cosplayer who is now known for his Grampian Stormtrooper costume had never been arrested before, this is not the first time a cosplayer’s weapon replica was mistaken for the real thing. Last fall, two cosplayers in Malaysia were arrested for having too realistic-looking weapons at an anime fan event, and just last month a Final Fantasy cosplayer was arrested in New York City and their prop weapon was confiscated. While the NYPD faced backlash on social media for arresting the convention-goer, to be fair, the Final Fantasy prop gun also included a 20-inch blade attachment.
The Grampian Stormtrooper Got To His Con
Luckily for the Star Wars stormtrooper in Scotland, he was neither arrested nor detained. As soon as the police realized that he was not a threat to the passengers on the train, they allowed him to return, and he was able to make it to the DeeCon at the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design.
Source: UPI
