3 Saskatoon elementary schools out of lockdown following gun threat

A trio of Saskatoon elementary schools were put on lockdown Friday afternoon following a string of threatening calls that reported a person with a gun was approaching the buildings.

The lockdowns were ended later in the day without incident.

Saskatoon Public School Division said it received a call to each of the schools and quickly called the police. 

Saskatoon police said it received the first call at about 12:30 p.m. of a person with a gun approaching Pleasant Hill School, near St. Paul's Hospital. Patrol and school resource officers and the Saskatoon Police tactical support unit responded to the call.

Then, Sutherland School, located in the eastern part of the city and wâhkôhtowin School, in the northwest part of the city also received similar calls. The first call came in six minutes after the initial report and another about 40 minutes after that.

Officers cleared the schools and found no threat, police said, then lockdowns were lifted and classes continued for the rest of the day.

"The safety of our students and staff members is our priority … we are grateful to our students who listened to instructions and followed the practiced procedure," Veronica Baker, spokesperson for the school division, said in an email.

"Each situation was treated as a serious incident. Additional counsellors were sent to the schools to provide support for any students who required it."

Police are continuing to investigate the incidents alongside the school resource unit. People with additional information are asked to contact Saskatoon Police Service or Crime Stoppers.