A potential threat made against Chetwynd Secondary School has been deemed unfounded, according to RCMP.
On March 6, Chetwynd RCMP received a report of a potential threat to the school via an anonymous email.
The email detailed vague and unsubstantiated claims of ignored reports of a student attending school with a knife, said Cpl. Marika Masters of the Chetwynd RCMP.
“Over the past several months, since an incident of school violence involving a group of students, the school has been diligently working with parents, students, and staff to ensure the safety of all school users,” said Cpl. Masters.
Following an investigation police concluded that there is no evidence to support the anonymous claims.
“We recognize the fear and concern that such reports might cause in light of recent events,” said Cpl. Masters. “With that in mind, we wanted to address the misinformation within the community and online by letting everyone know that the school is safe.”
Chetwynd is one hour north of Tumbler Ridge, where on Tuesday, Feb. 10, eight people, ranging in age from 11 to 39 years old, were killed in two locations, including the local high school. The suspected shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, died of a “self-inflicted injury” and was found inside the school. She lived in the community.
In addition, 27 others were injured. Two were airlifted to the hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries, while the other 25 were assessed and triaged at the local medical centre for non-life-threatening injuries.
The Chetwynd RCMP are continuing to work with the local schools to ensure continued safety.