UPDATE: ‘FIND THE BOMB’ tag sparks evacuation at two Kamloops schools, nearby homes

Kamloops RCMP have allowed people back into their homes after evacuating the residences and two schools due to a bomb threat.

At around 11:30 a.m. today, June 19, police received a call from staff at David Thompson Elementary School about the threat, according to an RCMP media release.

RCMP say someone had painted “FIND THE BOMB” on an exterior wall of the elementary school.

Kamloops RCMP, Kamloops Fire Rescue, B.C. Ambulance Service and school board personnel attended the scene. All of the students were taken outside and moved to a safe distance. The nearby Westsyde Secondary School was also evacuated, as were residents in nearby homes.

When the staff, students and nearby homeowners were at a safe distance, the school was searched with the help of a police dog trained to find explosives.

RCMP say no device find inside or outside of the school, and nearby residents were allowed to go back home.

Following the incident, police learned a similar tag had been painted on Westsyde Secondary School within the past three days.

“These responses are taken very seriously and often require a rapid displacement of people from an area, in order to ensure their safety," Kamloops RCMP Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk said in the release.

"Our member’s highest priority was the safety of the students, staff, and residents in the area of (David Thompson Elementary School). We are fortunate that this incident was false in the end, however, we are grateful for the smooth inter-agency response and for the cooperation of the community in Westsyde.” 

— This story was updated at 4:29 p.m. Friday, June 19, 2020 to include new information from RCMP.

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