Police dealt with some tense moments at west side high schools Thursday afternoon. Both Bethlehem High School and Tommy Douglas Collegiate were on lockdown after police received reports of a possible firearm in the building.
Police say it started when six young males entered Bethlehem high school just after 2 pm.
An administrator told the group to leave, as they were not students at the school. As they were leaving, police say several of the individuals removed items from their clothing and "brandished them aggressively" at the school officials. The items were thought to be firearms, and both schools were put on lockdown immediately.
Three of the individuals were apprehended at a pedestrian cross walk near the school. No guns were found, but a 16-year-old man has been charged for carrying a concealed weapon. He brought a machete into the school.
The items pointed inside the school turned out to be cameras, but police spokesperson Tisharae Stonehouse says the schools acted appropriately by initiating a lockdown.
"To initiate a school lockdown in this instance was appropriate, and that's something that school boards and staff can discuss."
Police say the other three youth have not been located.
