A prank marking the end of the school year at a Stratford, Ont., high school last Wednesday forced a major evacuation and resulted in a police investigation.
On June 22 at 2:30 p.m., two individuals from Stratford District Secondary School (SDSS) activated a commercial smoke bomb in the hallway of the school and placed it within a garbage can as an end of school year prank, police said.
Smoke from the smoke bomb filled the entire hallway at the school, according to police, forcing a large evacuation of all occupants from the building, including all staff and students from SDSS, Stratford St Michael Catholic Secondary School, and the YMCA Day Care.
Students from SDSS were not permitted to re-enter the building until the following day.
Police said the two individuals responsible were Grade 12 students from SDSS.
On Monday, police spoke with both students and their families on Monday, saying that both students took responsibility for their actions.
In lieu of charges, both students have been referred to a community program designed to hold them accountable for their actions, police said.
The program will require community service hours and paying restitution, Stratford police said.