'Business as usual' at P.E.I. schools after non-credible firearms threat

Despite higher-than-normal absence rates, the police and province say it was a normal day at P.E.I. schools Monday. 

On Friday afternoon police received an anonymous tip that someone would bring a firearm to a P.E.I. school Monday. Police and school officials spent the weekend investigating and determined that the threat was not credible. 

"It was business as usual — people were anxious and there were some students that were anxious," said Charlottetown police school liaison officer Tim Keizer. 

"Obviously we'd like to find out where this particular threat originated from."

Keizer said over the weekend, schools were asked to provide names of students or adults who may have had conflict with anyone in the schools in recent days. Police then interviewed those people over the weekend.

"Through those interviews, it was obvious that there was low credibility to this threat," Keizer said.

Despite rumours circulating on social media, Keizer said no P.E.I. schools were on lockdown today.

Attendance lower than normal

In an emailed statement, the province told CBC News that schools received several calls from parents Monday, primarily about whether to send their children to school.

I don't want anybody to have a heightened sense of anxiety because they're seeing police officers in the school — that's common practice.— Const. Tim Keizer

They said attendance was lower than usual with about 20 per cent of students absent. Student absenteeism at this time of year is usually about 10 per cent, they said.

"If they have some anxiety in relation to this particular threat, then there are staff that are there to help them so we can get back to classes as usual," said Keizer. 

The province said there was a counselor in almost every school for at least part of the day. 

Keizer said there were also plainclothes officers in many schools in addition to regular school resource officers, which he is at Colonel Gray High School in Charlottetown. 

"I don't want anybody to have a heightened sense of anxiety because they're seeing police officers in the school, that's common practice," he said.

Schools will continue to monitor student attendance and they will be reaching out to students who are absent, especially those who may be more vulnerable, said the province.

Press conference yields new leads

Police and school officials informed the public of the tip in a news conference on Sunday. 

RCMP Sgt. Kevin Baillie told CBC Radio: Island Morning the news conference was held to quell rumours.

"A number of people had been spoken to and asked about schools and firearms," said Baillie.

"There was a chance that rumours would spread that were much more serious."

Baillie went on to say going public with the information has opened new leads.

"I received several calls as a result of the press conference," he said.

"Additional information had been received. None would indicate that there was a definite threat but there were several other avenues to pursue that were passed on."

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Seeking original anonymous tipster

The investigation has been made more difficult by the vagueness of the tip, Baillie said.

With no time, person or place mentioned, police and school officials had to cast a wide net to search for any evidence to support a real threat.

Baillie said police would like to hear from the tipster again.

"It would be nice to determine exactly who made the comment in what context and totally put this to rest and close the investigation," he said.

Baillie said the tipster was not making a direct threat, but passing on information, and stressed this was the right thing to do when a threat to a school is overheard.

Joking about guns and schools is in the same category as bombs and airports, he said. People need to be careful about what they say, and threats will be taken seriously.

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