Police swarm SAIT campus amid reports of armed man, later found to have handgun-shaped lighter
Charges are pending against suspect who allegedly made threats against an employee on campus
Calgary police swarmed the SAIT Polytechnic campus Wednesday, following reports that a man was making threats with what appeared to be a firearm, which turned out to be a handgun-shaped lighter.
Officers responded shortly before noon to the Heritage Hall building at SAIT's main campus after receiving a report that a school employee had been threatened by a man with a weapon.
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Campus security and police both searched for the suspect and determined quickly that he had left the campus shortly after making the threat.
The campus was not locked down, police said.
A short while later, officers found the suspect at home in the community of Sandstone and took him into custody.
He was found to have a lighter in the shape of a handgun in his possession.
Journalism student Zach Laing said police were carrying rifles as they searched the campus.
"They told everybody to remain calm and to stay where they were," Laing said.
Business student Dusanka Maric said the heavy police response made the situation feel tense.
"They were in their full combat gear... so kind of a scary thing to see," Maric said.
"Not a thing you want to see every day."
Police said the investigation continues and charges are pending.
Anyone with information about the incident who has not already spoken to investigators is asked to contact the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.