Students at the Nanaimo District Secondary School were locked down Friday morning as RCMP responded to a report of a student with a handgun.
The call came in after 10 a.m. and resulted in a heavy police presence at the school with armed officers blocking off entrances.
“RCMP were called immediately and they investigated. The school NDSS went into a lockdown and the district administration centre went into a hold and secure as a precaution,” said Dale Burgos, the District’s Executive Director of Communications.
Police say one student witnessed another flash something that was thought to be a handgun. When officers arrived they quickly learned which student was involved and pulled him from a classroom.
“I heard three grade 12’s got pulled from the class,” said Memphis Wyse, a student.
The student took police to a vehicle in the parking lot where he revealed an airsoft pistol in his possession.
Soon after the lockdown was lifted.
“When I first came to the district a lot of parents said they want to know right away when something’s happening at their child’s school, whether it’s an emergency situation or just some good news happening right. We’re thankful that we have systems in place that we can automatically send messages, email, voice or text to our families within seconds,” said Burgos.
He says messages were sent to parents and guardians when the lockdown began and after it was concluded.
Some students say lockdowns for similar incidents seem far too common.
“It happens quite a bit. Fake stuff that goes on like fire alarms and everything. It’s kind of like the boy who cried wolf you start to not believe it,” said Griffin Metz, a student at NDSS.
“There are multiple times where the school has gone into lockdown for the same reason and it happens a lot specifically at NDSS,” said Hailey Hiles, another student.
Police say, in this case, no threats were made so they’re not considering charges, however, they’re urging students to never bring anything that resembles a gun to school.
Earlier this year Victoria Police seized some loaded handguns from several homes and a vehicle.
Kendall Hanson
