Apparent gun found inside walls of Shanghai Restaurant during demolition turns out to be toy

Demolition was temporarily suspended on the Shanghai Restaurant in Winnipeg following an unusual discovery.

What appeared to be a Thompson submachine gun, or Tommy Gun, was spotted behind a cupboard and a window of the building, located in Chinatown and built in 1885.

The building previously housed Winnipeg’s city hall before passing through three generations of the Lee family who ran the Shanghai Restaurant.

The item found was later determined to be a toy and not a real gun.

The building is being demolished to make way for a new seniors’ home.