Halifax police acknowledged that the discovery of a bag of guns near a high school had prompted public concerns about a shooting plot, but wouldn't speak to the possibility Wednesday, saying only that an investigation is underway after three people were arrested.
"I can see why people would make that assumption, but we don't know what the threat was," said RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Clarke in an interview.
Clarke said the police presence had been increased at Millwood High School after the arrests of three people Tuesday. She said the Mounties were asked by the school to be there, but wouldn't say how many officers were on site.
Two teens were arrested Tuesday and were due in court to face charges linked to the seizure of the guns and ammunition, but Clarke did not know if they were students at the school.
An 18-year-old man was also arrested Tuesday evening in connection with the incident, RCMP said Wednesday. He faces a charge of uttering threats.
Clarke said she understands that parents and students might be concerned about a possible attack at the school, but that police are investigating and do not yet know if there was a threat.
"We knew we had people going in the direction of the school with guns and obviously our concern was the safety of the students, but any further than that I can't speculate," she said about suggestions that the teenagers were planning to take the guns to the school.
Police said they received a tip from a member of the public that there were people with firearms in the area of the school and Millwood Elementary school in Middle Sackville.
Clarke said the high school was locked down and police later found a duffel bag with two long guns and two BB-type guns inside, along with some ammunition.
She said two suspects, one 15 and one 17, were later arrested — one at the scene and one in an area nearby.
In Cape Breton, police said they were called to Sydney Academy just before 9 a.m. Wednesday after a threat was received. A statement from Cape Breton Regional Police said the school was put on lockdown because of a potential weapons complaint.
The lockdown ended just before 1 p.m. Although police took one person into custody, they said in a release that it wasn't connected to the weapons investigation. No further details were provided.
