Skip to content

Rifle-toting man was just bringing it to B.C. school for presentation: Police

Vancouver police say the school was locked down, emergency response team dispatched immediately
web1_231221-bpd-vpd-school-vintage-rifle_2
Vancouver Police seized a vintage firearm, pictured, at Lord Byng Secondary School Dec. 21, 2023 after a man was seen carrying it into the school. The man is a staff member at the school and was bringing it in for a school presentation, police said. (Vancouver police handout)

Police say they don’t believe there was any criminal intent after they seized a rifle from a Vancouver school employee who brought it in for a presentation.

A teacher at Lord Byng Secondary called 911 shortly after 8 a.m. on Dec. 21 to report they saw a man carrying a rifle into the school, Vancouver police said. The high school was locked down, with mostly staff inside as students hadn’t yet arrived for classes.

“We immediately dispatched an emergency response to the school, and began searching for a suspect and to determine if anyone was injured,” VPD Const. Jason Doucette said.

Through the search, officers found a staff member who had carried a vintage rifle into the school for a presentation.

Doucette added that based on the initial investigation, officers don’t believe the staff member had any criminal intent.

Police added they will continue to work with the school board and district to ensure an incident like this is avoided in the future.

READ MORE: Nanaimo man who stabbed seniors and hit one with a bat handed jail sentence



Lauren Collins

About the Author: Lauren Collins

I'm a provincial reporter for Black Press Media's provincial team, after my journalism career took me around B.C. since I was 19 years old.
Read more