Man, 20, charged for making threat against people at New Liskeard high school

There were some scary moments for students and staff at a Temiskaming Shores high school in northern Ontario Tuesday afternoon after a threatening phone call resulted in a local man being charged.

Timiskaming District Secondary School in the New Liskeard area went into a lockdown around 12:20 p.m., principal Gavin Date said in a letter home to families.

"Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a report of a threat made towards the safety of the people at a school on Niven Street," police said in a news release.

"The other schools in the area were alerted and put on hold and secure as a precaution."

Officers searched the school and determined there was no threat to anyone within the building and they were able to identify a suspect, who was arrested at a nearby home.

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"Students continued to learn in a hold and secure environment while the investigation remained outside of the school. During a hold and secure, students continue learning as usual inside the building, although no one is allowed to enter or exit the school," Date said.

The 'hold and secure' protocol at the school was lifted after the arrest of a 20-year-old local man around 1:30 p.m.

No one was injured in the incident and there is no threat to public safety, OPP said.

He is charged with uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and is scheduled to appear in court July 4.

Parents are encouraged to contact the school with any questions.

Back in January, the same high school was closed for several days following a threat that led to charges including child pornography.

In that case, an 18-year-old from Temagami is accused of threatening several youths over social media for several months. Charges include impersonating police, distributing or selling child pornography, distributing intimate images without consent, making death threats, public mischief and providing false information.

None of the charges, in either case, has been proven in court.Police say they have one person in custody from a New Liskeard residence following a threat investigation at a local high school Tuesday afternoon.

#TemiskamingOPP are investigating a threats occurrence at Timiskaming District Secondary School. Police are at scene. No one is injured. The public is asked to avoid the area. ^kp

— OPP North East Region (@OPP_NER) May 23, 2023