THUNDER BAY -- The threat that has led to the latest closure of Hammarskjold High School continues to be investigated, though police won't say if it's connected to previous incidents.
An anonymous threat received by police early Wednesday morning prompted the north side high school to be closed for the day, the third time a similar incident has happened in the last two months.
Thunder Bay Police Service Insp. Derek West, who wouldn't comment on the specific nature of the threat or whether it's believed to be related to the previous incidents, said police are looking to locate the source of the threat.
"At this point in time we're trying to identify the type of person that might be involved in making this threat. We don't know if it's a student, a former student or just somebody who's disgrunted with the school itself," West said.
Hammarskjold had previously been closed for the day on Feb. 22 and Feb. 27 after police received anonymous threats in the morning prior to the start of school. A weapons call on Feb. 13 led to the school being put in lockdown for a number of hours.
Police have since cleared the scene at the school and have established a telephone tip line (684-1545) for anyone with information about the incidents to speak directly with an officer.
"We know that somebody knows about this. We encourage them to come forward," West said. "I understand this is upsetting to the community. We're parents, as well. We're community members. We can understand how that would impact the lives of the community members and the students."
Lakehead Public Schools communications officer Bruce Nugent said Facebook comments on posts providing information about the incident suggest that many students want to go to school uninterrupted.
"Students want to be in the classroom. Teachers want to be teaching in the classroom. The rest of us want to be supporting what's going on in that classroom instead of dealing with stuff like this," Nugent said.
"It's having a huge impact on everybody."
Hold-and-secure protocols were initiated by the public school board at three nearby elementary schools – Algonquin Avenue, C.D. Howe and Ecole Gron Morgan public schools – and by the Catholic Board at a number of their nearby elementary schools – St. Pius X , Gateway, Bishop E.Q. Jennings and Corpus Christi schools. The hold-and-secure order was lifted later in the morning.
Nugent said the school board is working with police and providing information the best they can.
"We've had conversations with Thunder Bay police on a board level, meetings with them as well too," Nugent said. "We're trying to proceed as best we can. I know Thunder Bay police have been to (Hammarskjold) a number of times to talk to the principal and to teachers. Everyone involved in this is trying their very best to make sure this doesn't happen again and ends as quickly as it started."
Hammarskjold is expected to re-open on Thursday, with Grade 10 students writing the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test in the morning while students in the other grades are off until the afternoon.
