Mayor Robert St. Pierre pictured on Jan. 9, 2017. Photo by Chelsea Laskowski.
La Loche RCMP’s detachment commander says investigators have found “no legitimate threat” after RCMP received a complaint on Thursday night about allegations of a potential shooting that was to occur on Friday.
The Thursday threat was directed at the La Loche Community School, RCMP detachment Staff Sargeant Greg Heuer said on MBC affiliate station CHPN on Friday.
“The threat was general in nature and no one person was identified or targeted in it,” Heuer said.
He said the La Loche detachment was joined by RCMP support units to immediately investigate the threat, which has led to no charges.
This news comes only days before the anniversary of the mass shooting in La Loche. In total, four lives were lost and seven people were injured on Jan. 22, 2016.
Heuer said the RCMP’s priority is to make sure everyone feels safe and secure.
“The RCMP takes all threats seriously. January 22nd is on the minds of all La Loche community members, including those at the detachment. It is not lost on all of us the impact potential threats of this nature can have.”
The Community School’s Dene Building has always been a meaningful place in La Loche – it’s the high school where 500 students walk the halls every day.
Last January, it was the scene of the school shooting where two people died.
The building has since re-opened and undergone major renovations to make students more comfortable, but on Friday those halls were empty.
“We have come to the decision as a community that it would be in everyone’s interest to close the schools for the day,” said Mayor Robert St. Pierre.
“This is already a difficult time for La Loche, made even more difficult now with the latest threat.”
The high school’s Dene Building, the elementary school’s Ducharme Building, and Clearwater River Dene Nation School are all closed and will remain closed on Monday.
Heuer encourages the public to be vigilant, and contact the detachment if they have any further information.