Police to review slow response to gunshots at school

Greater Sudbury Police say they are reviewing their response to shots fired into a door at C.R. Judd Public School in Capreol on Monday evening, in which it took police officers nearly 19 hours to respond to the call.

“We look at it now, and 19 hours was a little too long to get there for that call,” said Greater Sudbury Staff Sgt. Craig Maki. “But based on the information we received, it was triaged properly.”

Police received a 911 call — which concerned bullet holes and fragments in a door at the school that led into a kindergarten classroom — at around 8:30 p.m. Monday night, but did not arrive at the school until closer to 3:30 p.m. the next day.

Maki said that based on the information provided in the 911 call and after learning the schedules of those who work at the school, they determined the shots were fired between 4:30 p.m. and 6:10 p.m. Monday – after classes had ended, but while a daycare near the door was still operating.

Maki said no one reported hearing any shots, and there were also no reports of any suspects in the vicinity at that time.

Based on that information, he said, the operator determined the incident did not require an immediate response.

“If we knew somebody was there with a gun, there would have been a full-fledged tactical call,” Maki said. “Our tactical unit would be deployed immediately right to that area.”

Maki said Greater Sudbury Police receive around 60,000 emergency calls a year, and added the operators do a great job responding to those calls.

The Greater Sudbury Police Criminal Investigations Unit continues to investigate the incident.

Det. Sgt. John Valtonen said Wednesday there has been no ongoing threat to the public since the shots were fired.

Police have canvassed the neighbourhood and are still looking for tips to help solve the case.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Greater Sudbury Police at 705-675-9171 or Crimestoppers at 222-TIPS, online at SudburyCrimeStoppers.com or by texting TIPSUD and the information to CRIMES (274637).