Indian-American male held after setting off panic at Washington pride parade by brandishing BB gun

Washington: An Indian-American was arrested in the US for threatening a person with a BB gun and causing a stampede during an LGBTQ pride parade, leaving several people injured as hundreds of participants fled in panic fearing a mass shooter.

Aftabjit Singh, 38, pulled out the gun after another person allegedly threatened his “significant other”, police said.

The police arrested him and his BB gun — a type of air gun designed to shoot metallic ball projectiles — was seized from his brown bag.

Singh has been charged with the illegal possession of a BB gun, carrying a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct. He is due in court on Monday.

Chaotic scenes were seen in downtown Washington DC Saturday after word spread like a wildfire among the thousands of participants of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) pride parade that someone was carrying a gun.

According to NBC Washington, numerous people told News4 that they heard gunshots, but police said there was no evidence of a shooting.

“Police say one concerned citizen flagged down an officer, Blaise Maio, and pointed out Singh and a brown bag under a tree. Maio saw the suspect head towards the bag and stopped him. In the partially open bag, Maio reported he saw what appeared to be a silver handgun,” the report said.

“It was later determined that the gun was not a real handgun, but an imitation pistol that Singh identified as a BB gun,” the report added.

A woman who according to the police, was with Singh, was charged with assaulting a police officer.