Vancouver police have seized a replica rifle from a staff member who brought it to Lord Byng Secondary School on Thursday morning, but say there was no apparent criminal intent behind the deed.
Police said a teacher called to report a man carrying a rifle onto the premises shortly after 8 a.m. Officers quickly flooded the West Point Grey-area high school, locking it down before most students arrived for the day.
No one was injured, and searching room by room, police found the staffer and learned the gun was for a “presentation.”
“I’m not sure what was in the teacher’s mind at the time of bringing a firearm to the school,” Const. Jason Doucette said in a Thursday press conference.
“My understanding is it is an experienced teacher … there’s more than one thing to be learned today, obviously.”
Within an hour of deploying, police shared on social media there was no threat to the public.
Nearby École Jules Quesnel and Queen Elizabeth Elementary School were able to stand down their precautionary lockdowns and Prince of Wales Secondary was able to abandon the “hold and secure” that was keeping students and staff in their classrooms.
No charges were laid and no one was arrested.
Doucette said the gun wasn’t loaded and he doesn’t believe it was “even operable.”
Early in the day, police had described it as a “vintage rifle.” That was later amended to “replica,” given that it could not fire a bullet in its “current state,” Doucette said.
It has been seized pending further investigation.
“Today’s incident put our training into action,” Doucette added. “Resources were quickly in place and our team was able to resolve the issue.”
In an emailed statement, the Vancouver School Board (VSB) said the safety and wellbeing of students and staff are its top priority.
“Bringing any type of weapon, including replicas, to school is a matter we take extremely seriously,” said Jiana Chow of the VSB’s communications department.
“Only replica weapons are permitted for specific educational purposes, such as school theatrical productions. These replicas can be used in drama classes, productions, or rehearsals, but only when explicitly authorized and permitted by the principal or vice-principal in advance.”
Global News has reached out to the principal of Lord Byng Secondary School for comment.
Police said they would work with the board to ensure “this type of situation is avoided in the future.”
Chow said teachers are required to ensure school activities are conducted in a manner that ensures the safety and wellbeing of students, taking into consideration their age and abilities, as well as any students who may require different standards of care.
“In light of the recent incident, we have initiated a thorough investigation to understand the circumstances and ensure appropriate actions are taken,” Chow wrote. “We are grateful that no one was harmed, but we recognize the potential distress this event may have caused.”
The board is offering additional counselling to any students who need it, she added.
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