UPDATE: Man charged following threat at Fort Saskatchewan school

EDMONTON – A 22-year-old Bruderheim man has been charged after a Fort Saskatchewan school was put on alert Friday.

There was a heavy police presence in and around Fort Saskatchewan High School on Friday after RCMP say a threat involving a firearm was made against one of the students.

At around 9:30 a.m., RCMP placed the school on what they call a “hold and secure” alert as a precaution.

“We have members inside the school, ask students to stay inside the classrooms…we lock the doors,” explained Cst. Martin Miville of the Fort Saskatchewan RCMP.

Officers also surrounded the school.

Karen Sand, director of communications for Elk Island Public Schools, says three nearby schools were also placed on alert, including two elementary schools – École Parc Élémentaire and Fort Saskatchewan Elementary (which shares a building with Fort Saskatchewan Christian).

Sand says classes continued on as normal inside the schools during the alert.

The alert was lifted a couple hours later, after a 22-year-old man was found a couple blocks away from the school and taken into custody.

On Saturday, RCMP said Aaron Kenneth Toole had been charged with two counts of uttering threats. He is expected to appear in court on March 13.

*Editor’s note- This story was originally published Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. It was updated at 12:28 p.m. Saturday, to include charges.