One person was injured after police received a report of a person with a machete wearing a “horror movie” mask in Toronto, police say.
Toronto police said emergency crews responded to the Bathurst Street and Finch Avenue West area at 3:29 p.m. Monday.
Police initially said there were two people with unknown injuries amid a report of a person with a machete.
In an update, police said one person was being taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A second victim wasn’t located, police said.
Toronto paramedics said they were transporting a male victim to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect, who is still outstanding, was wearing a white “horror movie” ski mask, police said.
Police described the suspect as approximately five-foot-four-inches tall with a thin build and black dreads. He was last seen wearing all black clothing, a black toque, white gloves, a white backpack and white running shoes with yellow accents. Police said that he was carrying a machete in his right hand.
Northview Heights Secondary School, which is located in the area, was placed on lockdown after the incident but that has since been lifted.
Get breaking National news
In a letter to students and parents following the lockdown, the school’s principal said many students and staff had already left for the day prior to the implementation of the lockdown.
“However, for those who were still in the building, the lockdown procedure included locking all exterior and classroom doors and keeping students and staff inside their classrooms and other secured areas,” principal Alison MacLachlan said in the letter, noting the lockdown was implemented at around 3:45 p.m. as a precaution amid reports of a weapon in the area.
MacLachlan said the school was “given the all clear by police to lift the lockdown at approximately 4:55 p.m., once it was determined that there was no threat to the school.”
“We always want to take every precaution to ensure the safety of our students and staff. I would like to acknowledge our staff for their calm and their expertise in following procedures that provide a safe and caring school for our students. We will continue to take any necessary steps to ensure our students and staff are safe.”
On Tuesday, the school was again sent into a lockdown amid a report of a group of males in the area, one of whom may have had a machete. However, it was later determined that no weapon was actually seen. No one was injured and the lockdown was later lifted.
Comments