Teen arrested after gun incident, lockdown at F.W. Johnson Collegiate: Regina police
Jessie Anton | CBC News | Posted: September 23, 2022 5:06 PM | Last Updated: September 23, 2022
‘Significant charges’ likely against 13-year-old suspect: deputy police chief
Regina police say a 13-year-old girl is in custody in connection with a gun incident at F.W. Johnson Collegiate in the city's east end that put the school in lockdown Friday morning.
A phone call at about 9:15 a.m. CST alerted police about a gun in the school, according to a video update just before noon from Regina police Deputy Chief Lorilee Davies.
"Our officers immediately responded and a lockdown was immediately enacted as well as a secure-the-building for neighbouring schools," she said.
"We have no information that any shots were fired and there were no injuries reported to us."
By 11:30 a.m. CST, officers had located the girl at a home nearby and arrested her, Davies later told reporters at a news conference Friday afternoon.
She noted an airsoft rifle was later recovered as well.
So far, Davies said, no charges have been laid.
"It's still really early in the investigation. We have a number of interviews to do," Davies explained.
"However, I can tell you this is a very serious incident and there will be significant charges with significant consequences."
Regina Public Schools spokesperson Terry Lazarou has confirmed all lockdown and secure-the-building modes were lifted at the schools affected by 11:45 a.m. CST.
He said teachers and students go over these drills in hopes they will never need to use them, but on Friday morning that practice helped.
"They knew what they were doing and they worked very well with police," Lazarou said in an interview with CBC News.
"We had lines of communication open from the moment it started, and everything went according to protocol and we are very pleased that it was resolved peacefully."
Extra mental health counsellors were expected to be at the high school to support students and staff Friday afternoon, Lazarou added.
Parents, students feeling relieved
Avery Fehler was working on an assignment in health class when she heard over the intercom that an intruder was in the building. That's when she and her classmates quickly moved from their chairs to a spot on the computer lab floor.
"I was nervous and scared. I didn't really know what to think because it's never happened before," the Grade 9 student told CBC News.
During the lockdown, Fehler says, some of her classmates slept while others whispered to their friends or sat in silence.
"I was just kind of in my thoughts a little bit, staring at my shoes, not doing much," she said, noting she was trying to stay positive about the situation.
When police told them that the incident had been resolved and they could leave the building, Fehler says she was happy and relieved.
Renee Inouye left work as soon as she received a message from her son, a Grade 10 student at Johnson, that the school was under lockdown.
"He was like, 'I just want to leave. I just want to come home — I'm done, just let me come home.' And I told him he's not walking home," the mother said. "I'm happy they locked them down."
Inouye said she's still "sick to her stomach" about sending her son to school on Monday.
"I'm going to hold you for a good couple of hours," she told her son as they left the school arm-in-arm.