Suspect arrested after reports of man with a knife near school
A 39-year-old man who was reportedly spotted walking around the area of Assumption College Catholic high school with a knife faces several weapons charges following his arrest Tuesday.
Windsor police responded to a call just after 1 p.m., about a man with a knife in the area of California Avenue and Tecumseh Road West.
The suspect is alleged to have had a verbal altercation with a group of young people, then pulled out a knife and chased the teenagers.
Police said the man then fled on foot eastbound on Tecumseh Road West.
The suspect was described as a male, with a blue Golden State Warriors hat, black graphic T-shirt, blue jeans, white shoes and tattoos on his left arm.
Officers located and arrested the suspect a short time later at a residence in the 1400 block of Mark Avenue.
The man faces charges of assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
Police said there were no injuries reported.
Assumption College went into a hold and secure pattern, said Stephen Fields, spokesman for the Windsor-essex Catholic District School Board, while police searched for the suspect.
“Schools typically go into `hold and secure' when there's some sort of exterior threat happening in the nearby community, such as an armed suspect on the loose,” Fields said. “In these situations, we position staff at all exterior doors to make sure that no one is entering or exiting the building until it's been determined that it's safe again.”
Regular instruction continued inside the school.
It had been reported the school was put into lockdown but Fields said a lockdown is very rare and would only occur in severe situations when there is an intruder inside the school.
In that situation, all interior classroom doors are locked, lights are turned off and staff and students are instructed to remain quiet.
The incident remains under investigation. Police ask anyone with information to contact the major crimes unit at 519-255-6700, ext. 4830 or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 519-258-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.catchcrooks.com.