Vintage gun for school presentation prompts Vancouver police lockdown of Lord Byng Secondary
Posted December 21, 2023 9:10 am.
Last Updated December 22, 2023 3:25 pm.
Vancouver police say a vintage rifle set to be part of a presentation was behind a large lockdown of Lord Byng Secondary School Thursday morning.
The VPD explains officers received reports from a teacher at the school “reporting they saw a man carrying a rifle into the school” just after 8 a.m.
“We immediately dispatched an emergency response to the school, and began searching for a suspect and to determine if anyone was injured,” said Const. Jason Doucette.
The school was locked down “with mostly staff inside as students had not yet arrived for classes.”
The VPD says officers who responded worked with staff and were “able to locate a staff member who had carried a vintage rifle into the school, for a presentation.”
It is not believed the staff member “had any criminal intent,” police add.
The Vancouver School Board (VSB) confirms to CityNews the rifle sighting “prompted an immediate response from law enforcement.”
“As a safety measure, Byng was swiftly locked down, and nearby schools Jules Quenelle and Queen Elizabeth elementary schools, were also placed on lockdown due to their proximity. Additionally, Prince of Wales Secondary enacted a hold and secure protocol, ensuring that students and staff remained in their classrooms,” the VSB said in an email Thursday.
The VSB says the lockdown was lifted after the purpose of the rifle was clarified.
Several callers to CityNews reported seeing large numbers of police vehicles and officers outside Lord Byng just after 8 a.m. Some said their children were told to stay away from the school.
“The safety and well-being of students, staff, and families remain our utmost priority. We want to thank staff, students and their families for your cooperation and understanding during this unexpected incident,” the VSB added.
No one was hurt in this incident, the board says.
“Today’s incident put our training into action,” said Doucette. “Resources were quickly in place and our team was able to resolve the issue.”
