School activities were cancelled Monday at Heritage Regional High School in Saint-Hubert, on the south shore of Montreal, following what Longueuil police described as threatening comments directed at the school.
A police operation that was underway at the school Monday morning ended with the arrest of a minor before noon.
In a statement on Facebook, police said the majority of students were not at school at the time of the threat.
“At no time was the security of anyone at the school, or around the school compromised during this event,” the statement reads in French.
Longueuil police spokesperson Mélanie Mercille confirmed to Global News that no one was injured.
The youth arrested is not a student at the school, police said.
He is expected to meet with investigators later in the day.
In a message posted on the school’s website, Principal Sujata Saha said classes will resume as scheduled on Tuesday.
It was originally thought the alleged threat was made by a Heritage Student, Saha explained, adding that the school takes the issue of safety very seriously.
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“We will continue to take action when a perceived threat to our school is reported to us. We understand that this may cause you concern, but we would rather err on the side of caution.”
Saha said students will be debriefed at the start of classes on Tuesday.
This is the second such incident at the school in just over a year.
Threats in Oct. 2020 prompted a lockdown at the school and also ended with the arrest of a minor.
Mercille said police do not believe the incidents are related.
“It’s an isolated event,” she said.
One parent Global News spoke to admitted that she was a bit nervous after learning that the school was closed as her daughter had already boarded the school bus.
She commended the school, however, for quickly notifying authorities.
“It was on social media that they had found it (the threat) early in the morning and they alerted the authorities right away,” Victoria Chavez said, adding that soon thereafter school buses were cancelled and her daughter was dropped off at home.
While Chavez may have been a bit rattled by Monday’s events, she still believes her daughter’s school is safe.
“I think that there is definitely a hand on that pulse watching, making sure everything’s going to be OK,” she said. ” And I think as long as they continue to do that and be vigilant and, you know, the community is also staying aware and vigilant and I think it’s OK.
News of an arrest also provided some relief.
“I’m glad that they did, and I hope that this person gets the care and help that they need because it’s not a joke. It’s a serious situation,” Chavez said.
— With files from Global News’ Dan Spector
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