Short-lived ‘secure and hold’ implemented at Dawson Creek school in week of Tumbler Ridge shooting

DAWSON CREEK, B.C — A Dawson Creek school’s action to secure its perimeter has been lifted less than half an hour after it was issued. 

According to an update on School District 59’s website, the ‘secure and hold’ issued at Dawson Creek Secondary – South Peace Campus, was lifted on February 12th at 1.38 p.m. 

It entered a ‘secure and hold’ out of an “abundance of caution” at 1.15 p.m.

The RCMP said there was no risk to student safety and officers are working with the school through this process. 

The alert was issued as there was social media speculation and it was “made with a heightened sense of concern as we prioritize safety of our school community.”

A ‘hold and secure’ is a safety procedure where schools take action such as lock exterior doors and monitor surrounding areas, according to School District 60. It said, in the event of a hold and secure, students continue to learn in classrooms and no one is allowed to leave the building. 

This comes after eight people were killed by a shooter, who also died, at a school in Tumbler Ridge on February 10th in the afternoon.