Hamilton Police Charge 19-Year-Old For Threats Against School & More Arrests Are Expected

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Hamilton Police have arrested and charged a 19-year-old man after he allegedly made serious threats against Westdale Secondary School.

The young man has been charged with two counts of uttering threats to cause deadly or bodily harm, and his arrest comes as police investigate a "series of threats" that were written in nine Hamilton schools, according to a press release.

The suspect has been released "on an undertaking," according to police, and more arrests related to the investigation are expected to take place in the "coming days."

Police say they are taking the incident "extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with the school boards to help identify the individuals responsible and lay the appropriate criminal charges where a suspect(s) is identified."

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board reports Westdale Secondary will be closed this Friday "as a result of new information about a potential threat to school safety," according to an open letter from the Interim Director of Education.

HWDSB says the closure comes as police continue to investigate threats of a shooting previously found written on a bathroom wall.

In a prior press release posted on June 1, police said they were investigating "several threats made to Hamilton Secondary and Elementary schools across the city" involving threats written in bathroom stalls.

HWDSB confirmed that incidents occurred at "Hillcrest, Westdale, and Bennetto," which "required a communication to each school community" and that they are also investigating the threats.

When Westdale Secondary reopens, social work services will be available, and families from the school can expect an update Sunday night, according to HWDSB.