Port Colborne elementary school placed on hold-and-secure until gun threat nullified

Published March 31, 2023 at 3:27 pm

There was a frightening half hour at a Port Colborne elementary school this afternoon (March 31) until the Niagara Police could investigate a gun sighting at a nearby house.

At 1:30 pm, students inside a classroom at St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School (266 Rosemount Ave.) spotted a person in a neighbouring lot holding what appeared to be a firearm on their own property.

The police noted that the person hadn’t aimed the gun at any student or in the direction of the school.

The school was instantly placed into a hold and secure “as a safety precaution for all students and staff” while the police investigated the neighbour.

In the end, they discovered the person was holding a pellet gun and lifted the hold and secure at 2:05 pm.

“There is no active or ongoing threat at the school,” the police concluded.