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Thu., Dec. 6, 2018
The lockdown for three high schools in Bloor West Village has been lifted, hours after a man with a gun was seen in the building Thursday morning.
Police responded to a call at around 10 a.m. from Western Technical-Commercial School on Evelyn Cres., near Runnymede Rd. and Annette St.
Police responded to a call at around 10 a.m. from Western Technical-Commercial School on Evelyn Cres., near Runnymede Rd. and Annette St.
/https://www.thestar.com/content/dam/thestar/news/gta/2018/12/06/two-toronto-high-schools-on-lockdown-following-reports-of-a-man-with-a-gun/school_lockdown.jpg)
Dozens of cruisers surrounded the building and more than 100 officers were on site, conducting a thorough search from lockers to the boiler room, before members of the Emergency Task Force were seen filing out of the school after 2 p.m.
Ursula Franklin Academy and The Student School, high schools that share the building with Western Tech, were also placed on lockdown.
The Toronto District School Board tweeted out at about 2:40 p.m. that the lockdown has been lifted, more than four hours after it was first imposed.
Ursula Franklin Academy and The Student School, high schools that share the building with Western Tech, were also placed on lockdown.
The Toronto District School Board tweeted out at about 2:40 p.m. that the lockdown has been lifted, more than four hours after it was first imposed.
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Kids in the building’s daycare were let out, much to the delight of their parents waiting anxiously outside.
“He had quite an adventure today. I’m so happy he’s out and safe,” John Hayden said about his two-year-old son.
A student earlier reported seeing a man inside a school entrance with a gun to one of the staff members, police said.
Police said the suspect is an 18-year-old former student, but Sgt. Sal Granata wouldn’t say whether there was an arrest.
“Everyone in the school is safe,” Granata said, adding that there were no injuries.
“He had quite an adventure today. I’m so happy he’s out and safe,” John Hayden said about his two-year-old son.
A student earlier reported seeing a man inside a school entrance with a gun to one of the staff members, police said.
Police said the suspect is an 18-year-old former student, but Sgt. Sal Granata wouldn’t say whether there was an arrest.
“Everyone in the school is safe,” Granata said, adding that there were no injuries.
Police later said a student who was having trouble breathing required medical attention.
Alec Freda, an 18-year-old Western Technical student, told the Star that a staff member made an announcement over the PA system in the morning about the lockdown. He was in math class.
Alec Freda, an 18-year-old Western Technical student, told the Star that a staff member made an announcement over the PA system in the morning about the lockdown. He was in math class.
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“Everyone thought it was just routine and that our teacher missed the email,” he told the Star via Facebook during the lockdown. “Now police are in SWAT gear checking classes and going though bags. Honestly, we all feel safe but we can’t shake the feeling that this can’t be a coincidence being on Dec. 6.”
The date marks the 29th anniversary of the attack at École Polytechnique in Montreal, where 14 women were shot to death and 10 others wounded by Marc Lépine in the worst mass shooting in Canada’s history. The date has been held as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women since 1991.
The student said that a second announcement was later made to ask teachers and students to open their classroom door when police knocked.
“Other than that, we’ve been getting a lot of news from social media and texting friends,” he said.
There are approximately 2,000 kids at the facility, said Anthony Vandyke, principal of Western Tech, and Georgia Gallagher, principal of Ursula Franklin.
The schools run lockdown sessions every year for the students, but it’s something they never want to happen, Gallagher said.
“The students are stressed. They’re upset and want to get out,” she told reporters during the lockdown. “It’s been a tough day for the kids.”
Vandyke said the students were just talking quietly and playing games during the lockdown.
The nearby Stepping Stones Montessori Daycare on Runnymede Rd., was also placed on lockdown as a precaution.
Other schools in the area — Keele Street Public School, Runnymede Public School, Annette Street Public School, Humberside Collegiate Institute and Mountview Alternative Junior School — were put on a hold-and-secure status before it was lifted.
Lockdowns are used when a threat is inside, or very close to, the school. In a lockdown situation, students would be kept in classrooms or other designated spots away from the threat, where access and visibility is minimized. Staff members, responsible for the safety of students, make sure no one leaves these designated areas.
A lockdown is a different status than a hold-and-secure. Schools are given a hold-and-secure status when there is a threat in the general vicinity of a school, but not on or near school property.
Outer doors are locked, and no one is able to enter or exit the school as a situation in the community develops. School activity continues inside as usual, but the comings and goings in and out of the building are halted temporarily.
The date marks the 29th anniversary of the attack at École Polytechnique in Montreal, where 14 women were shot to death and 10 others wounded by Marc Lépine in the worst mass shooting in Canada’s history. The date has been held as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women since 1991.
The student said that a second announcement was later made to ask teachers and students to open their classroom door when police knocked.
“Other than that, we’ve been getting a lot of news from social media and texting friends,” he said.
There are approximately 2,000 kids at the facility, said Anthony Vandyke, principal of Western Tech, and Georgia Gallagher, principal of Ursula Franklin.
The schools run lockdown sessions every year for the students, but it’s something they never want to happen, Gallagher said.
“The students are stressed. They’re upset and want to get out,” she told reporters during the lockdown. “It’s been a tough day for the kids.”
Vandyke said the students were just talking quietly and playing games during the lockdown.
The nearby Stepping Stones Montessori Daycare on Runnymede Rd., was also placed on lockdown as a precaution.
Other schools in the area — Keele Street Public School, Runnymede Public School, Annette Street Public School, Humberside Collegiate Institute and Mountview Alternative Junior School — were put on a hold-and-secure status before it was lifted.
Lockdowns are used when a threat is inside, or very close to, the school. In a lockdown situation, students would be kept in classrooms or other designated spots away from the threat, where access and visibility is minimized. Staff members, responsible for the safety of students, make sure no one leaves these designated areas.
A lockdown is a different status than a hold-and-secure. Schools are given a hold-and-secure status when there is a threat in the general vicinity of a school, but not on or near school property.
Outer doors are locked, and no one is able to enter or exit the school as a situation in the community develops. School activity continues inside as usual, but the comings and goings in and out of the building are halted temporarily.
Carlota McAllister, whose son is a student at Western, spent the morning looking for updates along with many worried parents. She said that while she understands that the police and the school are busy with the lockdown, there should be a way for the school board to send notifications to the people affected.
“I don’t want to bug people but they tweeted this out over an hour ago and they’re not saying to keep calm or whether the kids are okay or that no shots were fired. They should be saying that every five minutes,” McAllister told the Star in a phone interview outside the school.
She said that she found out about the lockdown from her ex-husband who saw the police tweet.
At noon, the school board sent an email to parents and guardians with the subject line, “We Are Safe.”
“All students and staff are safe, and police are on site to investigate,” the email reads.
Police said that they are providing updates over Twitter as often as possible.
“Communication is important given that we have parents who are concerned for their children,” said Toronto police spokesperson Katrina Arrogante. “I’m updating the Twitter account as much as I can with regards to any information that we receive as we go through the investigation.”
The police designated Runnymede Library at Bloor St. W. and Glendonwynne Rd. as a staging area for parents to meet their children at the end of the lockdown. A handful of TTC buses were on standby, in case students needed rides.
By midday, many parents had arrived outside the school to check on their kids.
Liz Fursberg, a parent whose 14-year-old son is studying robotics engineering in Grade 9, said she was at work near Bay and College Sts., when she heard the news.
“I immediately took my bike and ran all the way here,” she said outside the school.
Her son kept texting her and letting her know everything is “calm” inside the school, she said.
“I’m more concerned about my son going through this experience,” she said, noting she had been talking to him Thursday about the 29th anniversary of the attack at École Polytechnique.
Stefanie Marotta is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @StefanieMarotta
Gilbert Ngabo is a breaking news reporter based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @dugilbo
“I don’t want to bug people but they tweeted this out over an hour ago and they’re not saying to keep calm or whether the kids are okay or that no shots were fired. They should be saying that every five minutes,” McAllister told the Star in a phone interview outside the school.
She said that she found out about the lockdown from her ex-husband who saw the police tweet.
At noon, the school board sent an email to parents and guardians with the subject line, “We Are Safe.”
“All students and staff are safe, and police are on site to investigate,” the email reads.
Police said that they are providing updates over Twitter as often as possible.
“Communication is important given that we have parents who are concerned for their children,” said Toronto police spokesperson Katrina Arrogante. “I’m updating the Twitter account as much as I can with regards to any information that we receive as we go through the investigation.”
The police designated Runnymede Library at Bloor St. W. and Glendonwynne Rd. as a staging area for parents to meet their children at the end of the lockdown. A handful of TTC buses were on standby, in case students needed rides.
By midday, many parents had arrived outside the school to check on their kids.
Liz Fursberg, a parent whose 14-year-old son is studying robotics engineering in Grade 9, said she was at work near Bay and College Sts., when she heard the news.
“I immediately took my bike and ran all the way here,” she said outside the school.
Her son kept texting her and letting her know everything is “calm” inside the school, she said.
“I’m more concerned about my son going through this experience,” she said, noting she had been talking to him Thursday about the 29th anniversary of the attack at École Polytechnique.
Stefanie Marotta is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @StefanieMarotta
Gilbert Ngabo is a breaking news reporter based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @dugilbo
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