Vernon Secondary School lock-down lifted after incident

VERNON — Emergency procedures were put in place at Vernon Secondary School this morning after a weapons related scare.

The school was put in a "lockdown" at 9 am when a nearby resident reported an individual entering the school with what appeared to be a weapon.

The RCMP was called, and after searching the building, a student with an air soft pistol -- described as a BB gun by the school district -- was located and was taken away to be interviewed by police.

The lockdown was lifted at 9:50 am, and classes returned to normal.

District 22 Superintendent Joe Rogers says at no time were students or staff in danger, and their procedures worked well.

"We do lockdown practice at all of our schools once a year though a protocol from the RCMP and Safe Schools. This (type of incident in District 22) is very unusual, but given the situation in Saskatchewan recently, people are on high alert," Rogers tells Kiss FM.

Four people were killed in La Loche Sask. last week, with a 17 year old boy facing murder charges.

Rogers says a lockdown is basically students staying in their classrooms with their teacher, with the door locked.

He is not aware why the student brought the air pistol to the school, and says any charges from the incident will be up to RCMP and the Crown to determine.

No details about the student are being released by the District.

"The District does do a threat assessment to look into the entire background of the student and any issues they have. It's a provincial protocol through the Safe Schools BC network to make sure kids are always going to be safe," says Rogers.