West Vancouver police are trying to sort out who would call in a hoax bomb threat to West Vancouver Secondary, and why.
Police and school district administrators evacuated the school Tuesday morning after receiving an anonymous threat related to explosives in the school. Police and bomb sniffing dogs were on the scene for much of the day, eventually concluding they were dealing with a false alarm.
“After detailed investigation at the West Vancouver Secondary campus, supported by Vancouver Police Department specialty K9 services, investigators have concluded threat information received was unsubstantiated,” a released from Const. Jeff Palmer, West Vancouver police spokesman, stated Tuesday evening.
The school was open for classes as usual Wednesday morning, although there were members of West Vancouver Police Department’s community services unit on hand.
“We were satisfied that it was safe to reopen the school but it was just an additional layer of calming for people,” Palmer said.
Police were also at West Vancouver Secondary on Monday afternoon investigating a report of a suspicious person on school grounds but that threat was also unsubstantiated, Palmer said. Palmer said there were no conclusive links between the two incidents.
Police are still releasing few details about the specifics of the threats.
“The investigation is ongoing. We’re not at that stage where we could say it is or isn’t a student. I wouldn’t rule out any possibility of who or what could be the source,” he said. “There is no indication for what the motive for either threat could be.”
West Vancouver Secondary student Anthony Lambing said students were speculating about the police presence on Tuesday morning before they were dismissed.
“It was kind of evident that something was going on,” he said.
After the school’s principal announced over the P.A. that classes were cancelled for the day, the evacuation was orderly and most students were relieved to get the day off, Lambing said.
Lambing said he never personally felt threatened throughout the event.
Palmer, however, said hoax bomb threats provoke anxiety and draw a serious police response.
“It’s completely unnecessary and disruptive for the school environment. We, along with West Van schools, will work together to see if we can find out who and or what is causing it and bring it to a stop,” he said. “Anyone who thinks they may have some information to assist, obviously we’d encourage them to be in contact with our investigators.”
