The University of Victoria asked people to avoid the area after a man was arrested near First Peoples House (FPH) for allegedly threatening people with a knife.
“A person with a knife has been arrested near First Peoples House at the University of Victoria,” UVic said in a campus warning around 12:45 p.m. Tuesday.
In an updated notice, the university says the person “threatened staff with a knife.”
It says police and campus security are on site. A caller tells CHEK News that police dogs were also there.
“The university is open; however, FPH will remain closed for the rest of the day,” UVic said in the updated notice Tuesday afternoon.
“We know that incidents like this can be very impactful. We want to assure you that there is no further danger to our community,” it added.
“Police may remain on campus as it will take some time to thoroughly investigate today’s events. We realize that the sight of armed officers on campus can be alarming to people.”
Saanich police say the suspect, a man, was arrested and no one was physically injured in the incident.
He was taken into custody with the assistance of UVic staff, and he will be held in custody until he can be brought before a judge. Police will request he not be permitted to return to UVic’s campus.
UVic says people impacted by Tuesday’s events can access support resources via this webpage.
FPH is located off Ring Road and “is a home-away-from-home for Indigenous students and provides a safe space for learning, sharing and community building,” according to information on the university’s website.
Saanich police say the incident has nothing to do with the ongoing encampment on campus, where pro-Palestinian protesters have set up tents for close to two weeks at the quad.
CHEK News has reached out to UVic for more information.
CAMPUS WARNING: May 14, 12:45 p.m.
A person with a knife has been arrested near First Peoples House at the University of Victoria. Police and Campus Security are on site.
Please avoid the area.
More info: https://t.co/imkiXBQsRW pic.twitter.com/roReSPsaSX
— UniversityOfVictoria (@uvic) May 14, 2024
Ethan Morneau
