Police have cleared the scene at Mount Saint Vincent University in the Halifax community of Bedford, after a weapons complaint prompted a lockdown and heavy police presence.
Halifax Regional Police (HRP), RCMP and EHS responded at around 1 p.m. Thursday for “second-hand reports that an armed robbery may have taken place at the University’s café,” according to HRP.
Staff and students were told to shelter in place and “lock doors and windows, if possible” in an emergency alert.
Student Kassi Brightman says she was studying for an exam in the McCain Centre and had her headphones on when she heard police yelling for everyone to hold and secure.
“Everything blanked in my mind. They told us (to) just leave everything behind, get to safety. I was really just thinking, ‘I hope everyone else is safe’ because I had a clear exit, but I wasn’t sure about my friends and faculty.”
Armed officers, including the RCMP Emergency Response Team, were on scene with tactical equipment and drones.
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“There were no reports of gunshots and no reports of injuries,” HRP said in an update at around 3:15 p.m.
“Police searched the school and found no evidence of a threat. A police presence will remain as the investigation continues.”
Brightman says while she and fellow students were shocked by what happened, she believes it was the appropriate response to a possible threat.
“That’s definitely the correct response. I mean, better safe than sorry. It could take one incident just for someone to lose a life or get injured, so I think it was a good response,” she said.
About half an hour before the MSVU call, officers responded to a fatal shooting in Dartmouth, where a man was shot in a car.
Police said there was no indication the two incidents were linked.
In an update to students and faculty, MSVU wrote on its website that the school will be closed for the remainder of the day and all classes, exams and programs will be rescheduled.
The university acknowledged the events may have been difficult for the community, and said that counselling services are available.
“Thank you for your support and cooperation. Our Incident Response Team will be reviewing our response to this incident,” the update read.
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