Two schools were locked down in Penticton on Friday because of a suspicious man, marking the second time in as many days that’s happened in the South Okanagan community.
Penticton RCMP said the latest lockdown happened around 1:44 p.m., after receiving a complaint of a suspicious male possibly carrying a firearm in his backpack while walking on Green Avenue.
According to police, the man wasn’t brandishing the firearm and that he wasn’t displaying any threatening behaviour, but due to his proximity to two schools, authorities ordered that they be locked down.
The affected schools were Princess Margaret Secondary and Skaha Lake Middle.
“Multiple police units responded to the area, but were unable to locate the male,” said Penticton RCMP, adding after receiving no further reports, the schools were reopened 30 minutes later.
On Thursday, three schools – Penticton Secondary, KVR Middle and ConnectEd – were locked down following a report of a suspicious man who approached some students while allegedly carrying a machete or small axe in his backpack.
Police said that man didn’t make any threats towards the students or the school, adding he was looking for another person not connected to Pen-Hi.
The three schools were locked down out of caution, with police unable to locate the individual.