Kemptville high school faces fifth threat of violence in a month

Police are advising the public there was another threat of violence towards a high school in Kemptville on Tuesday morning.

St. Michael Catholic High School has been the target of numerous threats over the last month, with police regularly having to increase their presence at the school.

The latest incident occurred at 1 a.m. via a phone call to the Ontario Provincial Police Grenville detachment’s communications centre. The high school is closed for Oct. 15, according to the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.

The first incident on Sept. 13 resulted in the school being placed in a lockdown for the morning while police searched the building.

Nearly three weeks later on Oct. 3, telephone calls overnight from two individuals threatening the high school — and another in Iroquois — which forced the closure of all public and catholic schools in Kemptville as a precaution.

A day later on Oct. 4, police were at St. Michael Catholic High School for a second day in row following threats. In the two early October incidents, police noted they were working to track the phones used to make the threats.

The situation on Oct. 15 is the fifth threat in just over a month.

“We cannot speculate on any connection to earlier threats,” police said of the latest threat. “We completely understand that these incidents weigh heavily on students, parents, school staff, and everyone in the community.”

Officer Dave Holmes told CityNews that there are many resources for staff and students impacted by the incidents at St. Michaels.

“We always refer families to speak with their family doctor about other supports that made be available through their specific clinic, such as counselling or specialists,” he said in an email. “Other private counselling services may be accessed through a parent or family member’s employment benefits too.”

Other resources in the community include Children’s Mental Health of Lanark Leeds and Grenville, www.1Call1Click.ca , Wellness Access for Youth, Kids Help Phone. For parents resources are available through the above but also the Lanark Leeds and Grenville Addictions and Mental Health and Parents Lifeline Eastern Ontario.

This is a developing news story. More to come.