Bay de Verde is located at the top of the Bay de Verde peninsula in Conception Bay North. (Submitted by Eugene Howell)
The last school week was anything but ordinary at Tricon Elementary in Bay de Verde, NL, after a police investigation closed the school for most of the three days.
The RCMP was sent to the school on Monday after staff received “threatening emails,” according to Heather May, a spokeswoman for the English School District of Newfoundland and Labrador.
“A follow-up investigation revealed that a student’s email account had been compromised,” May told CBC News in a statement Thursday.
“As a precaution, all students’ email accounts were frozen – and classes were suspended – when police began their investigation.”
The parents told CBC News that their children returned home on Monday to talk about “police with big guns” at school. An RCMP spokesman confirmed that officers responded in uniform and with weapons on Monday.
The school was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday until the investigation was completed. He opened its doors on Thursday morning, albeit with a police presence, in time for students to receive their diplomas on the last day of the year. The parents said they were not allowed to attend the ceremonies.
Clifford Morgan, mayor of nearby Old Perlican, picked up his grandson from school on Thursday and saw two police cars in the parking lot. He said the school community and the region as a whole are puzzled by what is happening.
“It’s a real mystery,” he said. Police had disappeared by noon and only a handful of cars remained in the parking lot.
The school district said it would have no further comment as the investigation continues.
CBC News requested more information from the RCMP.
Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
Add Comment