UPEI defends decision not to issue emergency alert after school shooting threat

UPEI is defending its decision not to issue an emergency alert late last year after a student threatened a school shooting and to burn down buildings on campus.

Nok Yi Hui posted the threats to Instagram on Dec. 23.

She pleaded guilty earlier this month. Court heard Hui was dealing with isolation, being new to Canada, and was drinking at the time. 

Her lawyer said she's "remorseful, embarrassed and regrets" her actions. 

Hui received a conditional discharge and must undergo counselling, stay away from UPEI, and write a letter of apology. She is no longer a student at the university.

Judge Jeff Lantz described it as a serious threat that would be upsetting to anybody on campus. He said it was even more concerning given recent shootings at U.S. universities. 

No emergency alert issued

Despite the threat, UPEI did not issue an emergency alert. That's concerning to the university's faculty association.

Margot Rejskind, the association's executive director, said she only learned about the incident through the media.

"Clearly there was a serious incident going on on campus," Rejskind said in an interview with CBC News.

"There was a threat to people on campus and nobody seems to have been told that this was going on or that they should be taking steps to maintain their own safety, and that's concerning as well." 

But university officials said police were immediately contacted, patrols were stepped up on campus, and buildings were also locked down.

There is a fine balance that we need to strike between keeping our campus community members safe, but also not creating panic.— Nicole Phillips, UPEI director of communications

Nicole Phillips, UPEI's director of communications, said the university decided an emergency alert wasn't necessary given how quickly an arrest was made and how few people were on the campus at the time of the threat. 

"There is a fine balance that we need to strike between keeping our campus community members safe, but also not creating panic," said Phillips.

"It was such a short period of time that we really didn't need to alarm anyone at that point, we had taken the steps that were necessary to secure the campus but we didn't need to raise the alarm bells further because it was wrapped up within a day, less than a day."

Scott Gosse, UPEI security manager, said the university also worked closely with Charlottetown Police Services after receiving the threat.  

"This particular case, it happened on Dec. 23, which is during our holiday season, and much of the campus community wasn't here," Gosse said.

"In that case we would rely heavily on communication with Charlottetown city police to come up with a risk assessment to determine whether or not messaging was required, and in this particular case it was deemed not necessary," said Gosse. 

Rejskind said there were still students in residence, the Atlantic Veterinary College would have been fully staffed, and some instructors would have still been in their offices grading papers and wrapping up the semester.  

"Their responsibility to maintain the safety and security of people on campus is not reduced because of the number of people," she said.

"We shouldn't have to have a full campus to be able to expect that they will take good care of us, and so to some extent I find that a little bit offensive."

But Charlottetown police said they supported the university's decision not to issue an emergency alert. 

"The threat itself was that the incident was going to happen the next day, there was going to be shooting, and in five days ... there was going to be some burning of some buildings," said Charlottetown police Det.-Sgt. Darren MacDougall.

"Not that you want to suggest that you have time on your side — you respond forthwith — but there's lots of different criteria that we look at to determine if we are going to issue that type of alert right away." 

UPEI officials said the university's emergency operations team met following the incident.

The team found that appropriate actions were taken, and didn't recommend any changes to policy or protocol.