City student charged after threatening note found in school

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This article was published 25/09/2024 (603 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A student in the Winnipeg School Division is facing charges after a threatening note was found in a school bathroom on Monday.

City police responded to the school, which the Free Press has learned is Keewatin Prairie School at 1570 Elgin Ave. West, around 12:30 p.m. on a report there’d been a written threat to students and staff, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a release Wednesday.

“In light of all the things that have happened historically in the last decade or so with school shootings, we definitely take these things very seriously,” WPS Const. Claude Chancy said.

Several people were named in the threat, he said, adding no one was hurt.

School officials initiated lockdown protocols while officers searched for a student believed to be the author of the note. Around 1:07 p.m., police arrested the student without incident in the 100 block of Cecil Street and the lockdown ended, police said.

The student, whose age wasn’t given, faces a charge of utter threats to cause death or bodily harm and was released.

Chancy said there is no example in recent memory in which a school-related threat has led to criminal charges.

“We’ve had a lot of incidents where there has been a firearm, or a threat of firearm or a weapon, in schools where we haven’t charged anybody. This particular incident, and I can’t get into specifics with it, but there was enough evidence to substantiate that charge,” he said.

Matt Henderson, superintendent of the division, said the school involved has students from kindergarten to Grade 9.

“The staff reacted really quickly and consulted with the Winnipeg Police Service and that particular student is receiving the supports that they need. We feel it’s been isolated,” he said.

Henderson said he couldn’t provide specifics about the threat, citing the age of the student and the investigation.

“Whenever there is a threat against fellow students, staff or whatever it may be, we always want to act out of an abundance of caution,” he said.

Asked whether the student will be able to return to the school, Henderson said it’s too early to decide.

“We will let the police do their investigation and then once things become clearer around that we will work with the family to… ensure they are in the best spot possible,” he said.

Parents were notified about the lockdown and resources are available for students and staff, he said.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca