Gas pistol found, fired during Easter egg hunt in Utrecht park

An Easter egg hunt in Utrecht’s Wilhelminapark on Monday morning was disrupted when a participant discovered a gas pistol, fired it into the ground, and caused a loud bang that led to a police response and a partial closure of the park. No one was injured.

According to RTV Utrecht, about 20 families gathered at 10:00 a.m. for the annual scavenger hunt organized by Robin van Empel, who runs the bootcamp company Steadi Training. Van Empel had hidden eggs containing tasks for participants to complete throughout the park.

Less than 20 minutes into the event, a participant found what he believed was a fake object instead of an Easter egg. Thinking it was harmless, he pulled the trigger. “He thought it was fake and shot it into the ground,” Van Empel told RTV Utrecht. “Then it turned out differently.”

A loud bang echoed through Wilhelminapark. Van Empel said no children were in the immediate vicinity when it happened. But “people were quite stunned,” he said.

Police were called, and part of the park was cordoned off while officers assessed the situation. The scavenger hunt continued in the remaining areas. The participant who found the weapon explained what happened to the police and was later allowed to rejoin the activity.

A police spokesperson confirmed, “It is not a firearm, but a gas pistol. There are no cartridges inside, but it does make a bang when the trigger is pulled,” the spokesperson said. Police confiscated the pistol for examination and said it would be destroyed after testing.

Van Empel said he was relieved the incident ended without injuries. “It is bizarre what happened. On Easter Monday, you are searching for eggs and find something completely different.”