Local residents got a big scare when reports surfaced of a man shooting off a gun at a local park.

On Thursday around 11:30 a.m., Saugerties police responded to the in the Village of Saugerties for a report of a man with a handgun.

A man told police that he noticed another man emerge from a Blue Toyota with what appeared to be a gun. The man then was seen crouching down near a second car.

Responding officers found the man, a 17-year-old from Saugerties, allegedly in possession of an airsoft handgun, which was a replica of a semi-automatic handgun.

The teen said he was messing around and was shooting the airsoft gun at his sister’s car, the second vehicle, police say.

While talking with police, authorities allegedly found the 17-year-old to be in possession of marijuana. He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. He was released at the scene with an appearance ticket.

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