Heavy police presence at three Saskatoon schools after reported gun threats

Saskatoon police are investigating after threats were made Friday afternoon that involved three elementary schools in the city.

Around 12:30 p.m., police received a 911 call reporting a person with a gun was approaching Pleasant Hill School, an elementary school located on Avenue S South.

Police said patrol, school resource officers and on-duty tactical support officers responded to the area.

Two other 911 calls were made to police at 12:36 p.m. and 1:13 p.m., reporting similar threats involving elementary schools — Sutherland School on 111th Street West and wâhkôhtowin School on John A. Macdonald Road, respectively.

All three schools were placed under lockdown while police attended and cleared each room.

Police said no threat was located and the lockdowns were lifted. Police didn’t say how many suspects were involved.

“Now the work begins into determining where the call was made from and by who — and those types of investigations can be quite sophisticated,” Saskatoon police spokesperson Kelsie Fraser said later Friday afternoon.

She said it’s too early to know whether they were “swatting” incidents. That’s when a prank 911 call is made with the intent of getting a large police presence sent to a specific area.

Outside Sutherland School early in the afternoon, parents waited outside the school after receiving emails and text messages from the school informing them that the school was under lockdown and that all students and staff at the school were safe.

A police officer at the scene reported that police were dealing with lockdown situations at other schools in the city as well, now known to be wâhkôhtowin School and Pleasant Hill School.

Kolton Rode lives across the street from wâhkôhtowin School. He was walking with his nephew when police responded to the school.

“Next thing I know, I heard a bunch of sirens down the street,” he said.

Rode estimated about six police vehicles came initially with their lights flashing, but they were followed by more.

He said the police vehicles “piled up” around the school and he saw officers with automatic weapons get out.

“They all huddled up and a bunch of them went inside the school,” he said.

After about 40 minutes, Rode said police started to leave the scene. He said the situation was worrying, because he has nephews who attend the school.

Saskatoon police said their General Investigations Section will continue to investigate with support from their school resource unit.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Saskatoon police at 306-975-8300 or Crime Stoppers.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Lara Fominoff