Hamilton school threat

A list of students threatened in a note caused an east end elementary school to lock it’s doors on Monday keeping the kids inside. Parents waited out front Elizabeth Bagshaw Elementary after the final bell and they say there were no answers from the school.

“There was a note that was written saying they were going to kill a bunch of kids and they actually gave names and said there would be more names to follow.” Darren Reid says his daughter in grade 8 was on the list.

A kitchen paring knife was also found nearby. It’s unclear if it’s connected to the threat.

According to the Superintendent here’s the timeline: the note was found by students at 10 am, the principal investigated for two hours and called the police at noon, the police arrived on scene at approximately 2:00 pm. Hamilton Police were not available to comment.

The hold and secure was issued around 2 o’clock when police arrived at the school. A hold and secure means the school operates normally inside but the exterior doors are locked and staff stand in front of them to make sure the students don’t leave the building. According to the school board a hold and secure is due to a situation outside and not related to the school, which is different from a lockdown, which is when the threat is actually in the building. The decision to hold and secure was made by police based on the information they had.

But parents say they were left wondering what was going on with no information from the school. The Superintendent says parents were provided with a Synervoice message that evening and a letter the next day. The principal saying “at no time was the safety of staff and students in question.”

The board isn’t saying who is responsible, they say that they are interviewing students.