Penticton man with hatchet closes 3 schools

Three schools in Penticton initiated their hold-andsecure procedures Thursday after a report of a man with a hatchet approaching some students.

The incident occurred in the early afternoon on the outdoor track at Penticton Secondary School.

“The man approached the students stating that he was looking for another individual not connected to our schools. The individual did not make any threats towards the students or the school; however, our students were obviously concerned about the interaction and informed school administration. He allegedly had a hatchet in his backpack,” states a notice sent to parents afterward by the Okanagan Skaha School District. “School administration immediately contacted the RCMP who attended PSS and began conducting a search for the individual.”

As a precaution, staff at Pen-Hi, KVR Middle School and Connect Ed, which are within about a 200-metre radius of each other, were told to hold and secure. That meant staff and students were called inside, and all entry points to the school were locked.

Police made patrols, but were unable to find the suspect. Officers were stationed at schools while students left for the day. Kids were told to walk home in pairs and stay on main roadways where possible.