Woman dressed as Stormtrooper detained because of fake blaster

LETHBRIDGE, Alberta, Canada — A woman who was trying to drum up business for a “Star Wars”-themed restaurant was detained after people called the authorities believing the blaster she was carrying was a real weapon.

Now the officers who questioned the woman may be under investigation.

The 19-year-old woman was dressed as a Stormtrooper complete with fake blaster, welcoming patrons at Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, on May 4 to mark the unofficial holiday of the “Star Wars” saga, CTV News reported.

The restaurant opened just two months before the coronavirus pandemic caused prohibition of eat-in dining, NBC News reported.

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After receiving calls from concerned citizens, officers responded to the business. When they saw the woman with the prop, they told her to drop the weapon, but because of the helmet, the woman said she could not hear the commands, CTV News reported.

Police tackled the woman to the ground, handcuffing her. The department’s police chief said the woman suffered a bloody nose during the arrest, CTV News reported.

In the end, the woman was not arrested, NBC News reported.

The owner of the restaurant, Brad Whalen, said officers should have been able to realize his employee couldn’t hear the officers.

Video of the incident started to circulate on social media causing Lethbridge police chief Scott Woods to launch an investigation as to whether the officers had acted appropriately, according to CTV News.

Cox Media Group