A Burnaby elementary school was locked down Wednesday afternoon after a stranger was spotted on the roof.
At about 3:15 p.m., after the regular school day was over, Inman Elementary School officials got a report of a stranger on the roof, according to a letter to parents by principal Dave MacLean.
The school contacted police and initiated a precautionary lockdown, closing all doors and windows and directing any students and staff still left in the building to go into rooms, according to the letter
Police arrived and began evacuating the building at about 3:20 p.m., the letter said.
At about 4:20, police confirmed it was safe to re-enter the school.
“Any children who were still at the school were supervised by staff until their parents or guardians arrived to pick them up,” stated the letter to parents.
Police are now investigating the incident.
“Our safe and caring schools team at the district is also involved, and there are no concerns about the safety of our school,” the letter said.
Members of the City of Burnaby’s public safety committee learned about the incident shortly after it concluded.
Burnaby RCMP Sgt. Kelly Basi was at a 5 p.m. committee meeting Wednesday to make a presentation about the detachment's youth section and referenced an incident at a local elementary school that afternoon.
“A stranger had entered the school through the second floor, the roof, through a window into the school,” Basi told the committee. “Not knowing what this person’s intents were, we had quite a significant police response and ended up clearing the school and ensuring public safety of the students that were remaining.”
In an emailed statement Thursday, Burnaby RCMP said the search at Inman didn’t turn up a suspect.
“During the incident there were reports the man had entered the school through a window,” the statement said. “Burnaby RCMP, with the assistance of the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service, did a thorough check of the school and the area, but no suspect was found.”
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