Graduation prank involving crickets leads to Ottawa school scare, police investigation

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Catholic School Board says a scare that resulted in a call to the local police was nothing more than a graduation prank.

Spokeswoman Kelly McKibbin says a student wearing a hoodie and carrying two air horns entered St. Pius X high school and released a box of crickets on Tuesday.

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She says his efforts to disguise his appearance alarmed some people, and Ottawa police received a report about two people seen at the school carrying guns.

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McKibbin says those reports are false and the situation is under control.

Const. Chuck Benoit says police are continuing to investigate and would not confirm McKibbin’s account.

He says one person is under arrest, but declined to say if the person was a student at the school or if any charges are pending.