Winnipeg high school targeted by threat for 2nd consecutive day

Posted on December 17, 2024 by Peggy

Elmwood High School’s doors are locked Tuesday morning for a second straight day because of a threat, but classes will resume in the afternoon, according to the division’s superintendent.

An anonymous post by someone on social media Monday night claimed they intended to enter the school with weapons at the noon hour on Tuesday.

“Police were called right away. They’ve been investigating all evening,” said Winnipeg School Division superintendent Matt Henderson, who called the threat “sinister” and “upsetting.”

A police spokesperson said investigators from the major crimes unit have been looking into the source of the threat.

The latest closure has once again impacted the Munroe Early Childhood Education Centre, which operates out of the school. Parents are being asked not to bring their children to the daycare for the morning.

“We’re treating this as a lockdown. If this happened during the day, we would lock down a school … but there just doesn’t happen to be children in it,” Henderson said.

A man with glasses stands for a photo. — Matt Henderson says threats, while upsetting and sinister, are also disruptive and destructive and need to stop. (Trevor Brine/CBC)

Although police have given the all-clear for classes to go ahead in the afternoon “we’re asking that nobody comes to to the school at this point,” Henderson said about the morning classes.

He is heading to the school to answer phones and work with administration to make sure the families are aware of the situation.

The school, in the city’s Elmwood neighbourhood, was also closed Monday after an emailed threat was sent Sunday night. Oak Park High School, in the Charleswood neighbourhood, received a similar threat on Sunday and was also closed.

Both schools were reopened around noon, for staff only, after police searches turned up nothing and deemed the buildings safe for reentry.

A second consecutive threat is frustrating, Henderson said.

“Many people in our community are upset about this — families, parents — because enough is enough. The schools, in particular Elmwood, are so important to the community, and we have people engaging in this type of activity that is harmful.

“It’s destructive and it needs to stop.”

There’s no indication yet if the current threat was made by the same person responsible for the closures on Monday.

Classes are on as usual at Oak Park, which did not receive a second threat.