Quebec college lockdown ends, police find no evidence of 'criminal act'
A lockdown at a Quebec College ended Friday evening after police were called to investigate a report of a "potential active shooter."
Students and staff at the Collège Lionel-Groulx in Sainte-Thérèse, Que., were told earlier in the afternoon to lock themselves inside as police descended on the school in the off-island suburb northwest of Montreal.
By 5:45 p.m., people inside the school were gradually let out as Thérèse-De Blainville police (RIPTB) said in an update on its website that "no criminal act" had taken place at the college in the previous hours. There were no arrests and no reported injuries, the statement said.
Investigators are trying to locate a person holding an object who was filmed in a video that circulated on social media moments after the lockdown started. The person is not considered a suspect, according to police.
Police respond to College Lionel-Groulx in Sainte-Therese, Que., after receiving a report of a possibly armed suspect on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (Source: Noovo Info)
"The RIPTB wishes to highlight the excellent collaborative work with the staff and students of the college, the police services of the cities of Saint-Eustache, Mirabel, Blainville and Deux-Montagnes, the CISSS des Laurentides and the City of Sainte-Thérèse. The rapid intervention of these partners will certainly have contributed to the effectiveness of this operation," said police Chief Insp. Luc Larocque in a written statement.
Police received the "potential active shooter" report shortly after 1:40 p.m. Officers responding to the college told the public to stay away from the area.
Family members took to social media to report students were safe. While some remained locked inside through the afternoon, others had received warnings to stay away from the building.
"Police are carrying out searches in the college," read an internal alert to students and staff, instructing them not to leave to use the facilities, but instead to create a private space if necessary.
"My grandson was able to leave," wrote one woman in a social media post. "The world is crazy, crazy, crazy!"
Shortly after 5 p.m., the school sent another internal memo notifying students and staff they could seek mental health help at a nearby community centre.
THIRD LOCKDOWN IN RECENT DAYS
Quebec's newly-appointed Public Safety Minister Francois Bonnardel wrote online that he is aware of the Friday intervention, and that his teams were "monitoring the situation closely."
The lockdown marks the third police intervention at a Quebec college in recent days.
On Nov. 11, a 19-year-old male was arrested wearing a bullet-proof vest at CEGEP de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, west of Montreal. There were no reported injuries.
The same day, just hours later, four people were injured and sent to hospital following a shooting near Collège Montmorency in Laval, Que. The next day, police said they had reason to believe the shooting was gang-related.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.