Police say a threatening call made to a Halifax high school was a hoax and came from outside of Canada.
asserted
call → say → Canada
School administrators at Halifax West High School received a call around 12:30 p.m. Thursday from a man who said he was on school property with a weapon, Halifax Regional Police said.
asserted
Police → receive → weapon
The school immediately went into lockdown.
asserted
school → go → lockdown
Dylan Bugdal, a Grade 12 student at Halifax West High School, said he’d left for lunch and returned to find officers surrounding the school.
asserted
officers → say → school
“There’s police cars everywhere and people are coming up to me like ‘You can’t go back to the school, they’re all in lockdown, there’s a threat in the school,'” he said.
asserted
he → ’ → school
Bugdal said he couldn’t recall something like that ever happening before in his three years at Halifax West and it left him “spooked.”
asserted
it → say → him
“Everyone was panicking,” he added.
asserted
he → panic → ?
Police said they found no evidence to support the threat and the school lifted the lockdown at 3:45 p.m.
Get daily National news
In an update Friday, police said they’ve determined the call originated outside of Canada and were working with law enforcement in Florida.
asserted
call → say → Florida
“In any investigation, we look at all leads and investigate any and all leads that are available,” Cromwell said.
asserted
Cromwell → look → leads
“That could include tracking a number.
uncertain
That → include → number
Any leads that we have are going to be investigated.”
asserted
we → have → that
Lindsey Bunin, a spokesperson for the Halifax Regional Centre for Education, told Global News in an email the school district is working with police on the case.
asserted
district → tell → case
“The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority,” she said.
asserted
she → say → students
“We follow the direction of police and take precautionary measures to help keep students and staff safe while minimizing disruption to learning whenever possible.”
asserted
We → follow → learning
Cromwell said no charges have been laid but the investigation is ongoing.
asserted
investigation → say → ?
In nearby Lower Sackville, a separate investigation is underway after it was reported that a man had chased a student with a knife at junior high school on Thursday morning.
asserted
man → report → morning
Leslie Thomas Junior High and Sackville High School were placed under hold and secure while RCMP attempted to locate the man, police said in a news release.
asserted
police → place → release
Following the initial investigation, RCMP said officers determined a man did not chase any students.
asserted
man → follow → students
The hold and secure was lifted at both schools around 12:45 p.m.
RCMP said efforts to locate the man continue and the investigation is ongoing.
asserted
investigation → lift → man
Lockdown vs hold and secure
In general in Canada, a hold and secure occurs when there’s a threat in the general vicinity of a school, but not on, or very close to school property.
asserted
hold → secure → property
Examples might include a crime in progress, police pursuit or search in the same neighbourhood as the school.
uncertain
Examples → include → school
The school’s outer doors are locked during a hold and secure but classes continue as normal inside.
asserted
classes → lock → hold
Students are generally considered safe so long as they don’t venture outside.
asserted
they → consider → ?
A lockdown is a more serious process and is initiated when a threat is near or inside a school.
asserted
threat → initiate → school
During one, efforts are made to minimize access and visibility throughout the building.
asserted
efforts → make → building
The school’s outer doors are locked and students are kept in classrooms or designated waiting areas.
asserted
students → lock → classrooms
Lights are turned off, curtains or blinds are closed and all windows are covered to obscure visibility into classrooms.
asserted
windows → turn → classrooms
Cellphone use is restricted and school phones are not answered.
asserted
phones → restrict → ?
Inner doors are locked where possible and only emergency services personnel can enter or exit the building.
asserted
personnel → lock → building
Staff members are designated to prevent anyone else from leaving the school.
asserted
members → designate → school
School principals have the discretion to declare a lockdown, but usually do so on the advice of police.
asserted
principals → have → police
The Aporia
