Barrie police investigate threats at high school that prompt lockdown

Barrie police are investigating after two threats resulted in Eastview Secondary School being locked down Tuesday morning.

Police initially placed the Grove Street high school in a hold and secure following a threat.

Officers investigated the area, and Peter Leon, with Barrie Police Services, told CTV News that as they were about to lift the hold and secure, another threat was called in to the school, unrelated to the initial threat, which prompted police to place it in the lockdown.

Police haven't specified the nature of the threat, but Leon said uniformed and tactical officers responded, along with Simcoe County paramedics.

Leon confirmed no one had been injured.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m., he said the school had been cleared, and police were leaving after determining the second threat was false.

He noted how unusual it is for two unrelated threats to be made so close to one another.

The school board said about 1,200 students and 100 staff were in the school at the time.

"Once the lockdown was lifted, school commenced. They did go into their lunch hour at that time. Because they missed part of their lunch hour, they went into a full lunch hour and then had an adjusted afternoon schedule," the board noted.

Barrie police said they are aware of the person who made the second threat but are working through underlying circumstances before laying any charges.

Meanwhile, unrelated to the situation at Eastview Secondary, phone lines at several SCDSB schools are down Tuesday.

HOLD AND SECURE

The secondary school was placed in a hold and secure earlier in the morning.

A hold and secure means activities resume inside the school as usual, but all exterior doors are locked, and there is no one allowed to enter or exit the building.

LOCKDOWN

During a lockdown, students and staff move to secure areas, away from doors and windows.

"Interior doors are locked, lights are shut off, and blinds are drawn. Students and staff remain quiet," the SCDSB tweeted.

With files from CTV's Catalina Gillies