St. Michael Catholic High School in Kemptville, Ont. is closed for a second consecutive day, as Ontario Provincial Police investigate an alleged threat targeting the school.
The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario says the OPP advised the board at 12 a.m. that they spoke directly to an “anonymous person who indicated that at the beginning of the school day on Friday, there would be an act of violence involving weapons that would take place” at St. Michael Catholic High School.
“Given this recent information we have received and the current threat at St. Michael CHS, we are closing the school for today.”
The OPP says it continues to investigate “another threat” against St. Michael Catholic School, and officers are “working diligently to identify the individual or individuals responsible for this week’s threats.”
“Public safety is paramount and, even if we suspect that it may be a swatting incident or a malicious prank, we must take all threats seriously,” the OPP said on X.
All schools in Kemptville were closed on Thursday after an alleged threat targeting St. Michael Catholic High School.
The OPP said a telephone call came in to police overnight Thursday threatening violence at the school.
“Our investigation is ongoing. There has been no indication that there is any legitimate public safety threat here, but we can’t take it for granted it’s not real,” OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson told CTV News Ottawa on Thursday.
Both the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario and the Upper Canada District School Board say all other schools in Kemptville are open on Friday.
The Upper Canada District School Board says “extra vigilance” is being taken at North Grenville District High School, “by locking all doors, including the front entrances, once students arrive.”
On Sept. 13, St. Michael High School was placed under lockdown after a “threatening message” was directed towards the school, according to police. The lockdown was later lifted.
Seaway District High School and Iroquois Public School in Iroquois are open on Friday after being closed on Thursday due to an alleged threat against Seaway District High School.