Heavily armed police attack a man carrying an ASSAULT RIFLE on a shopping street – before realizing that he was actually a MALE STRIPPER showing the weapon as part of his act
- Police cordon off Perth Street after man is seen with bulletproof and assault rifle
- It was a male stripper wearing his costume as a ‘sexy SWAT’ officer to a party
- The gun was reportedly a gel blaster, which is illegal in WA with high penalties
- Chad Satchell was taken into custody and the gun examined to see if it works
Heavily armed police swarmed on a handsome man strolling past a busy shopping center with what appeared to be an assault rifle after terrified shoppers sounded the alarm.
Police emergency response units occupy a large part of the central Perth fearing a gunfight with the well-chiseled suspect who was also wearing a bulletproof vest.
An intense panic continued Western Australia‘s elite Special Response Group as the mysterious figure casually makes his way through the city’s swanky Kings Street shopping center on Sunday.
But when officers got their act together, they quickly realized there had been a terrible mix-up.
The suspected gunman was actually a 31-year-old exotic dancer named Chad Satchell, who was on his way to work dressed in a police SWAT costume — and the gun was just a prop.
Adult entertainer Chad Satchell was arrested by police after onlookers were alarmed by his realistic stripper costume
Mr Satchell has been detained by police who can still charge him if the assault weapon turns out to be a gel blaster which is illegal in WA
A WA cop shows the seized ‘assault rifle’, believed to be a gel pellet blaster
The drama unfolded around 2:40pm (WST) after police received two separate reports of a man posing as a police officer with a large firearm.
The rifle seized by police is believed to be a gel pellet blaster for which he may still face charges, but it remains unclear whether the prop was disabled. Police say they will be conducting tests to find out.
Gel blasters are illegal in WA and can carry maximum penalties of up to three years in prison or a $36,000 fine.
WA banned gel blasters — which shoot water-filled gel pellets at 100 m/s — in July last year because criminals smuggled the replica guns into the state and turned them into real weapons.
Police said Mr Satchell “assisted in the investigation” after being arrested without incident.
A police spokesperson said that while it appeared there was no real threat to the public, the incident was a reminder that possession and public display of realistic-looking firearms or prohibited weapons was serious business.
Mr Satchell advertises ‘SWAT’ as one of the shows he will put on at parties while others are ‘cop’, ‘sexy Wild West’ and ‘suave sailor’
Adult entertainer Mr Satchell mentioned enjoying ‘the finer things in life’ as one of his hobbies
Mr Satchell ‘helped police with their investigations’ after being arrested for carrying what appeared to be an assault rifle
“The people who asked for police help were genuinely concerned for their safety and that of others,” the police said.
“The firearm in question looks very real and it would be very difficult for any member of the public to determine whether it was really real or not.”
Mr Satchell has been working for the adult entertainment company Fantasy Entertainment Australia since 2017, where he sets himself up as a director.
He also applies his in-demand trade to hen nights and other wild parties in Perth with various other entertainment groups.
‘SWAT’ is one of the shows he advertises online, along with ‘cop’, ‘sexy Wild West’ and ‘suave sailor’.
One of the photos from his booking website shows Mr Satchell bare-chested except for the open ‘SWAT’ vest and with an assault rifle upright on his shoulder.
Mr Satchell, who lists fitness as one of his hobbies, has competed in bodybuilding competitions
Mr Satchell has been working as a male stripper at Fantasy Entertainment Australia since 2017
Describing himself as a miner, investor, dancer and entrepreneur on his social media channels, he entered an international bodybuilding competition in October.
Mr Satchell’s self-proclaimed hobbies include ‘the finer things in life, travel, surfing, boxing, fine dining, fashion, fitness, photography and videography’.
He regularly posts pictures of himself online while exercising and in luxurious or exotic locations.
Daily Mail Australia has asked Satchell for comment on the incident.