A DeRidder teen was arrested Friday evening after authorities say he approached crowds gathered at a local park while wearing a full face mask and holding a toy gun painted to look real.

The incident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. Friday night during the city-hosted family event Movie in the Park held at Veterans Park on Mahlon Street. Authorities said a 16-year-old male juvenile began approaching the crowd from a dark area of the park, prompting city staff members assisting at the event to call police out of fear.

DeRidder Police Chief Craig Richard said when officers arrived, the juvenile had hidden the toy and mask, but cooperated with officers and directed them to where they could find the toy. Richard said the gun had been painted solid black.

The unnamed juvenile was charged with terrorizing and wearing of masks in public places. He was booked into the BPSO Jail and then immediately released to his parents.

Richard said the city and the police department hold a zero-tolerance policy for such incidents.

“The safety and peace of the city is our priority and this type of behavior will not be tolerated here,” Richard said.

The incident occurred on the same day Sheriff Mark Herford released a public safety message warning against the use of rechargeable soft water bead gel ball guns that Herford said he and Richard had been told were being misused by high school age students.

In the message, Herford said his office had received reports that high school students were painting the toy guns to look real and then pointing them at each other’s vehicles and even inside places of business and their parking lots.

Richard said the public needs to realize the seriousness of misusing the toy guns and altering their appearance, and that children need to be aware of the dangers they are putting on themselves by having a gun that appears real.

“Altering the appearance of toy guns is a real danger. Anyone who wants to enjoy these guns for their intended purpose — fun — needs to be responsible about it and stay on their property or area that they have private use of, and not to go out in public areas or parks where someone could see the gun and confuse its use in any way. In no situation should these toys ever be painted to look real. I am grateful that this incident did not have a tragic outcome,” Richard stated.

The maximum penalty for an adult who is found guilty of terrorizing is 15 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.