UPDATED FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 5 P.M.
PERTH - Emotions were running high today at Perth and District Collegiate Institute as police attended to a possible threat on Friday, June 18, but the threat turned out to be only a rumour, officers said.
“With texting and the Internet, rumours have a way of spreading,” said Perth police Sgt. Richard Crowe, who was at the school on Friday morning.
Crowe wouldn’t speak to what the threat was, but said there were many versions of the rumour floating around, none of which had any merit, he said.
“No direct threat has been made to the school,” Crowe said. “We’re here as a precaution. When I hear about a rumour, I can’t sit in my office.”
Crowe noted that police often attend the school when false fire alarms are pulled or false bomb threats are made, but tensions were running especially high this week as the school community was dealing with personal tragedies.
“There was no lockdown. Students are not being sent home,” Crowe said, although many students could be seen leaving the school and talking on their cell phones outside.
A press release sent out by the Perth Police Service on Friday stated that Ottawa police notified Perth police of a “troubling commentary” received on Ottawa police web mail regarding a Perth-area resident on Thursday, June 17. Perth police immediately began investigating the matter and OPP were also informed.
“Although no specific threat was contained in the commentary, the Perth Police Service took precautionary measures to assure the safety of faculty and students at Perth and District Collegiate Institute while the investigation was being conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police,” the press release stated.
“Precautionary measures” were lifted as of 1:30 p.m. on Friday, the press release stated.
PDCI principal Mark Williams confirmed that students were not being sent home on Friday and the school day would continue as usual.