Hamilton police (HPS) say they are “actively investigating” more threats at a number of local schools in which messages have been scrawled on to bathroom stalls.
Spokesperson Krista-Lee Ernst told Global News the messages have turned up at several Hamilton secondary and elementary schools across the city since the start of a probe into a shooting message left at Bishop Tonnos Secondary in Ancaster, Ont.
“Police take incidents like these extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with the school boards to help identify the individuals responsible and lay the appropriate criminal charges where a suspect is identified,” Ernst said.
She confirmed that the latest note was found at Westdale Secondary School Wednesday afternoon.
School administrators at Bishop Tonnos alerted HPS on Friday to an alleged threat which suggested a shooting would take place at the facility June 3.
“Hamilton Police was immediately contacted and have informed us that uniformed officers will be present at the school on Friday June 3,” principal Carmelo Barone told guardians in a letter sent on Monday.
Barone also notified families of a separate, unrelated incident in which a video surfaced showing a Bishop Tonnos student loading an apparent air-soft BB gun.
“No threat was made in the video, nor was the school mentioned,” Barone wrote.
Ernst says they are investigating all the incidents.
Investigators are urging anyone with information on any of the occurrences to reach out to HPS or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers.