Bomb threat forces evacuation at Salmon Arm school

SALMON ARM – The students of a Salmon Arm middle school were evacuated Tuesday after a prank bomb threat.

The threat was at Shuswap Middle School and students were evacuated to the school field and then moved to South Broadview Elementary while police investigated, School District 83 stated in a press release.

By 12:38 p.m., police identified the culprit and students are now returning to the middle school to resume afternoon classes. 

"RCMP determined through significant evidence and a confession from a student that the bomb threat was false," the district said. 

This is the second bomb threat at Shuswap Middle School in the last month. 

A  large scale assembly, including the RCMP and school district staff, will be held on Wednesday to discuss restorative practices and the impacts of this type of situation. How to move forward maintaining school safety and a positive school culture will also be looked at. 

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

—This story was edited at 1:34 p.m. Jan. 20 to include an update from the school district.