The New Westminster Police with the New Westminster High School administration ordered the high school locked down at 1:30 this afternoon. The high school liaison officer received a report of a person in possession of a gun was in the high school. A 14 year-old male suspect was identified and found not to be a student of the New Westminster High School. The school was placed into lock down status for the safety of the student body, staff members and the community.

Additional police resources responded to high school to effectively search the large school and safely guide over 2000 students and staff from the school. Members of the Integrated Municipal Emergency Response Team and the RCMP Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team conducted the search and evacuation of the school, while members of New Westminster Police, Delta Police, Integrated Road Safety Unit and Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police cordoned off the area surrounding the school. The search and evacuation process was completed at 6:00 PM.

Detectives from the New Westminster Police will be continuing the investigation and location of the suspect.

A comprehensive safety plan has been developed by the School Administration in conjunction with the New Westminster Police for circumstances such as this. Students and staff have routine lock down, earthquake and fire drills through out the school year. The police commend the students and staff for their calm and practiced response that enabled the police to efficiently conduct a large building search and evacuation.