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Threat prompts police response at Nanaimo high school

Police were checking students’ backpacks after threat made to NDSS
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Police greeted students and checked backpacks Wednesday morning after an “unspecified threat” was made against Nanaimo District Secondary School on Tuesday night. (News Bulletin file)

Nanaimo District Senior Secondary School students were greeted by Nanaimo RCMP school liaison officers checking backpacks when they arrived for classes Wednesday morning.

According to police, the action was prompted by an “unspecified threat” made at the school Tuesday.

“Out of an abundance of caution they were checking packsacks this morning before students were allowed into the school,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman.

The school was not under lockdown or closed, he said.

“They did a sweep of the school last night, so it was secured overnight and then they checked packsacks this morning,” O’Brien said.

Dale Burgos, Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district spokesman, said the threat was in the form of writing or graffiti on one of the school’s walls and parents were informed Tuesday of the issue and security steps being taken by the school district and RCMP.

“Yesterday, parents were sent a letter indicating that there was graffiti pertaining to an unspecified threat at NDSS, inside the school, and so typical practice is once that’s found, the critical incident team gets initiated,” Burgos said. “RCMP were involved, they did a tour of the school and found no credible threat.”

Burgos said all the school’s entrances were locked and students entered through the school’s gymnasium where their bags were searched.



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Chris Bush

About the Author: Chris Bush

As a photographer/reporter with the Nanaimo News Bulletin since 1998.
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