On December 21st, an uproar erupted at a high school in Vancouver after a man with a rifle was found on campus. However, it was later determined that it was a replica rifle intended for use in class. The incident took place at Lordbin Secondary School in West Point Gray.
Vancouver police received a call from a teacher at the school shortly after 8 a.m. and immediately deployed officers to the school. The school, which had not yet started, was placed on lockdown and parents were sent an email asking their students to stay at home.
Nearby high schools and elementary schools also took measures such as lockdowns. When police searched the school, they found a rifle and a teacher inside a classroom. The teacher reportedly hid, not knowing that he had caused the commotion.
Police reported at a press conference that the teacher appeared apologetic when informed of the incident. The lockdown was lifted around 9am. The teacher in question is a veteran, and the rifle was intended to be used in a class presentation.
The rifle was confiscated, but no arrests or charges were made, and no one was injured. According to the Vancouver Board of Education, replica weapons can be brought in for use in plays, etc., but prior permission from the principal or assistant principal is required.