A 14-year-old youth has been charged with public mischief and uttering threats following a bomb threat that led to the temporary closure of John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute in Guelph on Monday morning.
According to Guelph Police, the school administration received a threatening email overnight and contacted authorities around 6:15 a.m. in response to the alarming message. As a precaution, the Upper Grand District School Board swiftly moved classes online for the day and advised students and staff to stay away from the premises.
Several officers secured the school perimeter while the Tactical and Rescue Unit, assisted by an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) canine unit trained in explosive detection, conducted a thorough search of the premises. The investigation concluded at approximately 11:30 a.m., with police confirming that no threats or dangerous materials were found in the building. The school was subsequently turned back over to board officials.
Following the investigation, police arrested a 14-year-old Guelph youth, who now faces charges of public mischief and two counts of uttering threats. The accused has been released and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. Authorities have not disclosed the youth’s gender or whether they were a student at the school.
Police stressed the gravity of such incidents, acknowledging the psychological impact on students, staff, and families.
“These threats can be difficult for students, staff, and their families. Police take incidents like this extremely seriously and will continue to work closely with school boards to help identify individuals responsible and lay appropriate criminal charges,” police stated.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to assess school safety measures and work with education officials to prevent similar incidents.