Three Comox Valley high schools were open today following a social media threat Thursday.
A picture was posted to social media showing 2 teens posing with what appeared to be a rifle and revolver accompanied by text that said "shooter gang" and "don't come to school tomorrow." RCMP confirm 2 students were arrested for uttering threats, and have since been released to the care of their parents.
The communications advisor for school district 71, Mary Lee, says the high schools were closed out of an abundance of caution, but says it appears the threat pertained to Mark R Isfeld Secondary in particular. All other schools were placed in hold and secure mode during the threat.
Lee says in these times you must take any such threats seriously:
" You know, in the last 23 day, 24 days, there's been 11shootings in the United States. You don't take these things lightly. Guns, kids, I don't know what their motivation is. I'm not here to debate that. But I can say that the tip on social media, that picture, led to some very vigilant action on the side of RCMP. And grateful we are for that."
The students involved maintain it was just a joke. But officials say it wasn't funny, and cost thousands of people a tense day, and many student missed scheduled provincial exams..Those have had to be rescheduled.