Pellet gun sparks lockdown at Barrhaven high school

Two youths were still in custody Thursday afternoon after Ottawa police were alerted about a student with a gun at a high school in Barrhaven.

The incident began shortly after 12 noon at the school on Longfields Drive.

Following a report of a firearm at the scene, the school was placed in lockdown while a search took place.

Three youths were taken into custody, and a pellet/airsoft gun was recovered in the search, police said in a social-media post. One youth was subsequently released.

There were no reports of injuries.

Police said the investigation would continue.

As a precaution, another nearby school was also placed in lockdown, but it, too, was lifted.

Neither school was officially named.

“We take very seriously any actions that threaten the safety of our community, like using a real, replica, or imitation firearm to commit a crime or intimidate someone,” the Ottawa Police Service said in the online communique.

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