'Replica' gun seized by police at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall

A group of five relieved grade 10 students at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall were talking about a scary incident that occurred within their school on Thursday afternoon. 

"We originally thought it was just a drill," said one student wearing his blue Scollard Hall golf shirt. "We just stayed vigilant and were cautious."

Around 12:50 p.m. police say a student at the school was in the possession of a gun at the building located on O'Brien Street in North Bay.  

"Officers responded to the call of a male student with a firearm at the school," stated David Woolley, corporate communications with the North Bay Police Service outside the school around 2:30 p.m.  

"Our officers arrived on the scene, took the individual into custody, and recovered a replica firearm, and no injuries were reported," 

Police say the individual was identified through witnesses and video surveillance. 

See: Weapon recovered. Arrest made at St. Joseph-Scollard Hall today

When the incident occurred, school officials say St. Joseph-Scollard Hall went into immediate lockdown. Officials at the school say the incident was resolved around 1:20 p.m. 

"St. Joseph-Scollard Hall was in a lockdown, meaning that there was a major incident or threat of school violence within the school or in relation to the school," stated Victoria Johnson, spokesperson for the Nipissing Parry Sound English District School Board   

"This means when a lockdown occurs that staff directs students to the closest clear area. They remain with the students and lock the doors in the area to keep everyone safe indoors."

One student told BayToday it was a great sense of relief when they found out the gun was a fake.  

"I was shaken and scared but when the rumours of a fake gun went around, that calmed us," he said. 

North Bay Police sent multiple officers including six cruisers to the scene.  

"This is a very serious incident," added Woolley.  

"We take all incidents seriously but reports of a firearm at a school is something we take incredibly seriously which is why both our emergency response team and members of our patrol section responded very quickly to this incident. 

"There will be a continued police presence within the area for the foreseeable future and we will put up an update when the police are gone,"