The University of Toronto’s downtown campus has lifted a lockdown after Toronto police emergency task force members were unable to find a threat to public safety following a report of a masked suspect dressed in all black seen carrying a weapon.
Police responded to a report of a suspicious man wearing all black carrying a black knapsack just after 9 a.m. Monday near a building under construction at the east-end downtown campus.
A photo of the suspect was sent to police by a witness and a second call came in shortly after reporting a man who was allegedly armed with a gun.
WATCH: Police lift lockdown at U of T campus after no suspect located, no threat to public safety
Police said just after 3 p.m. Monday that no suspect was located and no injuries reported after ETF members cleared several campus buildings under lockdown.
“The information was third-hand information that was received through University of Toronto police — there was no confirmed sighting of a gun,” Toronto police Sgt. Sean Cassidy said at the scene.
“The buildings have all been deemed safe by the emergency task force and we’re just in the process right now of releasing all of the tactical officers and we’re reopening the roads and the buildings. There’s no concern for public safety at this time.”
Cassidy said police conducted a “very serious investigation” after initial information caused “quite a bit of concern” due to the proximity to the university campus.
“This investigation is closed, as I said before we have not been able to confirm this person in fact had a firearm so therefore there is no other suspects outstanding at this time,” he said.
“We have received numerous sightings of people matching the description. However, all of the leads that we have investigated haven’t turned up anything.”
Cassidy said a university staff member took the photo of the suspect and forwarded it to police, who also received information that the person may be armed and led to the investigation being “ramped up.”
“The picture depicted a person sitting on the campus, this person had a mask of some sort covering his face and was wearing gloves and had a knapsack,” he said, adding that the misinformation about an armed suspect was due to third-hand information being passed on.
“The person that reported it to campus police had received information from a coworker and that was relayed to campus police and then relayed to us so it was third-hand information.”
Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters ETF officers responded to the campus buildings where the suspect was reportedly seen, but the investigation did not lead to an arrest.
WATCH: Toronto Police chief says report of suspicious person prompted lockdown
Saunders said an unidentified man had been taken into police custody at the scene in connection with a separate criminal investigation and later released from police custody with no charges.
“No I have not seen the gun in the picture, I have seen the person dressed in all black with a black knapsack and a mask,” Saunders said, adding that police had received numerous calls describing the suspect.
“That picture did not indicate or show a firearm, someone else has made that comment or had given that information to us which is why we’re utilizing the emergency task force.”
Saunders added that investigators are examining surveillance footage in the area with the help of campus police.
“It’s clear to say that we live in a different time right now and we ask vigilance from everybody,” he said.
“If someone sees something that is of suspicion, to give us a call and to allow us to do what we need to do.”
University of Toronto spokesman David Estok thanked Toronto police for their quick reaction to the situation and said two convocation ceremonies were going ahead as planned.
“At the University of Toronto we consider the safety of our staff, our faculty and our students our primary concern,” he said.
“So I wanted to thank Toronto police for a quick, efficient response and our own police as well as some of our staff and students who have called in this in the first place.”
Police reopened roads in the area just after 3 p.m. Monday, after an all-clear signal had been given to students and faculty.
Subway service is also bypassing Museum Station near the campus lockdown.
The Women’s College Hospital and The Hospital for Sick Children are also limiting entrance as a result of the police investigation.
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