Stabbing at school leads to call for more security

The Abbotsford school district is making 31 recommendations to improve security after a fatal stabbing last year at Abbotsford Senior Secondary.

A report by the school district says the lack of separation between a public library and a school library may pose a risk to students.

It calls for some sort of physical barrier between the two libraries in Abbotsford.

The report examines a stabbing last November that killed one student and critically injured a second at Abbotsford Senior Secondary.

Written by two officials with the district, it also urges a review of cellphone reception in all Abbotsford schools after the critically injured student took refuge in a locked lab but others inside could not call for help because the room had no phone, cell or intercom service.

The officials say communication must be improved with third parties, such as the Fraser Valley Regional Library, whose operations can have an effect on operations at the school, noting that incidents at the library are not routinely reported to school officials.

“School district staff have reported that public library patrons have been known to have been found eating, sleeping and taking refuge from the outdoors in the library,” says the report, written by district secretary-treasurer Ray Velestuk and Angus MacKay, an assistant superintendent.

“It has also been reported that homeless shelters send their clients to the public library for free access to resources.”

They have called for an update by June 30, 2018, on progress related to the 31 recommendations.

Police described the attack on the two girls in Grade 9 as random.

The report says a man entered the school through the adjoining public library.

Gabriel Klein, who was 21 at the time of his arrest and of no fixed address, was charged with one count of second-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault in the death of 13-year-old Letisha Reimer and the injuries to the second girl, who can’t be identified because of a publication ban.

The report says no one could have anticipated or prepared for the stabbing. It praises staff and others.

“Without regard for their own personal safety, staff acted quickly, brought a violent attack to a stop, and immediately provided medical care to the wounded students.”