Photo: File

Nelson police had to keep the peace between a chainsaw wielding man and another who reportedly had a 'knife,' which turned out to be a pen.

It wasn’t a massacre but a chainsaw was involved when a dispute broke out on Saturday over a bicycle.

On Saturday, April 12, Nelson Police Department officers responded to reports of a fight in progress after multiple citizens called 911, concerned about a man wielding a running chainsaw.

“This was a concerning incident and fortunately no one was injured in the altercation,” said NPD special Const. Silk Edwards in a press release.

Upon arrival, officers instructed the man to drop the chainsaw, which he did without hesitation.

After speaking with all involved parties, police determined that the altercation stemmed from a dispute over a bicycle. The man with the chainsaw stated that he had borrowed it from his mother for landscaping work and claimed the other individual had approached him with a knife, prompting him to start the saw in self-defence.

However, a search of the second individual revealed that he was only holding a black pen, and witnesses confirmed that the chainsaw had been briefly turned on but was not brandished in a threatening manner.

Both individuals agreed to keep the peace and declined to press charges. Officers seized the chainsaw and returned it to its owner.

“We appreciate the vigilance of the public in reporting this incident, which allowed for a swift police response before the situation could escalate,” Edwards said.

To report a crime in progress, call 911 or the Nelson police non-emergency line at 250-354-3919.