Update No. 2:
The Espanola Police Service received information that Facebook Posts were circulating around the Espanola community concerning a potential threat to a local high school, and as a result, the schools in the Espanola area implemented a “hold and secure,” while the Espanola Police, assisted by the OPP, investigated the origin of the posts.
Throughout the course of the day, police tracked the original origin of the threat, which suggested that a “drive by shooting” at either the Espanola High School, or Manitoulin Secondary School may occur, to rumours that circulated following an incident at the Manitoulin High School on Friday Sept. 14, 2018.
The police interviewed an individual who admitted to telling friends rumours he’d overheard about the incident in Manitoulin, which appear to have suggested that further incidents were going to occur in Espanola or Manitoulin once the rumours hit social media. The police have determined that there was no specific threat to conduct a “drive by shooting” at either of the two schools, and this was a case of rumours being posted and circulated on social media.
The Espanola Police Service would like to thank the public, and our local School Boards for their cooperation and understanding throughout the day, while this matter was investigated. The Espanola Police Service, and the OPP had an increased presence around the local schools during the day, and students were not at risk.
Updated on Sept. 17 at 4 p.m.: The hold and secure at the French and English high schools in Espanola was ended without incident today.
Espanola Police Service was investigating a threat made on Facebook earlier this morning. As a result of the threat, the school was placed under a hold and secure order.
A hold and secure means the school doors are locked, but classroom activities continue as normal, unlike in a lockdown situation.
The school day ended without incident and the police service continues to investigate the threat.
Original story
Schools in the Espanola area have implemented a “hold and secure” while Espanola Police Service investigates anonymous social media threats.
According to a press release issued by the police service, officers received information at around 8:30 a.m. Sept. 17 about Facebook posts concerning a potential threat to Espanola High School.
That high school, by the way, shares the building with the Rainbow District School Board's elementary school in the area, A.B. Ellis Public School.
“As a result, the schools in the Espanola area have implemented a 'hold and secure' while police investigate the origin of the posts,” said the press release.
“The Espanola Police, and our local school boards take the safety and security of our students very seriously, and any threat received that jeopardizes this will be investigated fully, and all necessary precautions taken.”
A hold and secure means the school's doors are locked, but classroom activities continue as normal, unlike in a lockdown situation.
If any members of the public have information that they believe may assist the Espanola Police Service in their investigation, they are asked to call the Espanola Police Service at 705-869-3251.
