Suspicious package found outside SE high school, not dangerous: Calgary police
Posted Aug 31, 2023 3:03 pm.
Last Updated Aug 31, 2023 5:21 pm.
A high school in southeast Calgary was the site of the police bomb squad as they were responding to a suspicious package Thursday morning.
Officers responded to reports of the package at around 6:15 a.m. at Bishop O’Byrne High School, and upon arrival, they confirmed it was a “possible explosive device.”
However, upon further examination by the tactical squad, they determined it was safe and not an “intended explosive device.”
According to police, the school administration confirmed the building was empty and that staff and students knew to stay away from the premises.
“The scene has been cleared, and there is no threat to staff, student or public safety,” a police spokesperson told CityNews in an email.
Meanwhile, officers are investigating the origin of the package.
The school’s Instagram account states students can arrive at the school after 11 a.m. to make any schedule changes.
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Public schools started Thursday, but schools with the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) start up on Sept. 5 on a staggered entry.
In a statement to CityNews, Felicia Zuniga, the communication and community relations director with CCSD, says the incident was non-school related, and parents received a letter to let them know about the situation.
“Our staff members were asked to work from home until CPS informed school administration that the incident was resolved at approximately 9:50 a.m., at which time, regular operations resumed, and staff safely entered the school,” the letter from Kathryn Olsen, the principal of Bishop O’Byrne High School reads.
-With files from Tiffany Goodwein
