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Greater Victoria high school cancels classes Tuesday after bomb threat

Greater Victoria School District says school is safe and will be open on Wednesday
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Spectrum Community School is evacuating staff and students as a precaution against a potential bomb threat, as of Tuesday morning. (Kendra Crighton/News Staff)

Spectrum Community School dismissed students early after the school received a bomb threat Tuesday morning, but according to the Greater Victoria School District the school will reopen Wednesday.

Around 10:20 a.m. Saanich police responded to a potential bomb threat at the school. Students and staff evacuated the building and were released to go home. Both St. Joesph’s Elementary School and Ecole Marigold, two neighbouring schools, were under hold and secure throughout the day.

Currently, investigators are at the school, working through the early stages of their investigation and trying to figure out how the threat was received and determine the validity of that threat, said Sgt. Damian Kowalewich from the Saanich Police Department during a media briefing outside the school.

READ MORE: B.C. high school student arrested after gun photo posted to Snapchat

Kowalewich said specialty officers from the explosion detection unit were inside, along with a police dog who’s able to detect incendiary devices.

“It’s a significant event for not only the students, staff and parents — if indeed it was a student who is responsible for this they’d still be subject to consequences, which could potentially fall under the Criminal Code, or alternatively measures through community programs,” said Kowalewich.

According to a letter to the parents from SD61, police deemed the school was safe, although the investigation is ongoing.

“Police conducted a thorough search of the school and area and nothing of concern was found. Police continue to conduct their investigation and if students have any information regarding this threat, they can provide it directly to Spectrum administrators or report it anonymously through the erase reporting tool,” stated the letter.

The school will have support available for students in the counselling department if required.


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