Toronto Police Said A Gun Spotted In A School Was Fake & Two People Have Been Arrested
They're still looking for other suspects.
David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute.
A gun scare that forced two schools in Scarborough into lockdown and several nearby schools into hold and secure Thursday afternoon has resulted in two arrests, and police are still looking for other suspects.
The Toronto Police Service was called to David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute, in the Brockley Drive and Treewood Street area of Scarborough, at around 1 p.m. due to reports of someone with a gun in the school, which they said turned out to be fake.
Police said a "replica firearm" was recovered and two people were arrested, in a tweet sent out shortly after 5 p.m., well after the end of the school day.
At that time, police also reported that the lockdowns and nearby hold and secures had been lifted.
\u201cPERSON WITH A GUN: (UPDATE)\nBrockley Dr & Treewood St\n- police o/s\n- all schools that were in "Hold & Secure" & "Lockdown" have been lifted\n- 2 people have been detained, 2 are outstanding\n- a replica firearm recovered\n- no reported injuries\n- ongoing investigation\n#GO2343916\n^al\u201d— Toronto Police Operations (@Toronto Police Operations) 1669918104
According to the Toronto District School Board, students were being let out of school "class by class."
Police said two people are "outstanding" and the investigation is ongoing.
\u201cThe Lockdown at Donwood Park Public School has been lifted and students have been dismissed, while the Lockdown at David and Mary Thomson Collegiate Institute is currently being lifted and students are being dismissed class by class.\u201d— Toronto District School Board (@Toronto District School Board) 1669931210
Speaking to reporters on the scene, TPS Acting Duty Inspector Jason Albanese said police had an "extremely robust response" to the situation, reports CP24.
Officers were spotted in and around the school carrying assault rifles.
Albanese said the two suspects in custody are "affiliated to the school in some way" and that "multiple people" are involved.
This incident follows a consistent string of violent incidents at Scarborough schools, including a stabbing at Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute that left a 17-year-old boy with life-threatening injuries in November and a fatal shooting outside Woburn Collegiate Institute in late October.
A student was also shot and killed at David and Mary Thompson Collegiate Institute earlier this year.
Mayor John Tory has called these incidents "extremely troubling," and he met with TDSB and TPS officials to discuss solutions earlier this week, which include bolstering youth programming, food security initiatives, and mental health and well-being support in schools.