Police have arrested a male youth after Tuesday’s drama at McMath secondary school, where students were told to stay in their classrooms amid a threat of a mass shooting, posted online at some point Monday.
The online Instagram message, seen by the News, appeared anonymous and threatened students in the LGBTQ and Jewish communities.
Seven RCMP cruisers could be seen in and around the Steveston school on Tuesday at 11 a.m., with students hemmed in their first period classrooms under “hold and secure” procedures, which are not as severe as a “lockdown.”
The situation resolved peacefully at around 2:30 p.m., with students sent home half an hour early and the youth suspect, who is not known to police, taken into custody.
An email sent to parents by the school at around 2:40 p.m. on Tuesday said that the matter is “now an active police investigation and...we are not able to provide any further information at this time.”
School district spokesperson David Sadler said the event was defined under district protocol as a “hold and secure” situation, whereby there is no “imminent threat,” as opposed to a “lockdown,” whereby there is an imminent threat within the school.
Sadler said under “hold and secure,” students and teachers were nevertheless barred from leaving their classrooms and no one other than police were allowed inside the school.
In a “lockdown” procedure, it is necessary to quickly secure everyone inside a locked room, whereas with a “hold and secure” situation there is no deemed need to lock doors, according to the district.
Sadler said the district was made aware of the threat after classes commenced.
Richmond RCMP said in a statement just after 11 a.m. that its investigation began “late yesterday afternoon after Richmond RCMP School Liaison officers responded to investigate a series of WIFI SSID spoofing incidents.
“The investigation has now progressed into a series of threats directed towards the school,” police noted.
Students inside the school reported police going through some of the student’s backpacks and lockers.
“The Richmond RCMP takes all reports of threats to the safety of students or teachers in our community very seriously. We have conducted a comprehensive safety assessment along with the Richmond School District. Based on this assessment, a decision was made to hold and secure the school,” said Cpl. Dennis Hwang.
“As the investigation remains active and ongoing, the nature and specifics surrounding the threat will not be disclosed,” Hwang added.
