Students said they were told there was someone in school with a gun; It's 'scary to see in Orillia'

An OPP officer stands guard at Twin Lakes while a female student makes her way, with police, out of the school. Dave Dawson/OrilliaMatters

1 / 1 An OPP officer stands guard at Twin Lakes while a female student makes her way, with police, out of the school. Dave Dawson/OrilliaMatters

UPDATE (2:10 p.m.)

Orillia OPP report the lockdown at Twin Lakes has been lifted. The hold and secure at Harriett Todd Public School has also been lifted.

No details about the threat have been released, but police say there were no injuries.

The Simcoe County District School Board reports that classes will return to normal tomorrow at Twin Lakes.

"Thank you to our OPP partners for their leadership during this situation," read a Tweet from the school board.

UPDATE (12:45 p.m.)

Orillia OPP report all students and staff at Twin Lakes Secondary School are safe.

The students are being bused to Harriett Todd Public School.

Const. Martin Hill could not say if the "threat" that caused the lockdown was over.

There remains a heavy police presence at the west-end school. Hill said he would provide an update with more detailed information, hopefully, later this afternoon.

We will keep you posted.

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UPDATE (11 a.m.)

Orillia OPP Const. Martin Hill told OrilliaMatters he could not provide any details about reports of a person(s) with a gun in the school.

However, he did say nobody has been injured and the students in the school are safe.

"Rest assured, the children are safe," Hill said, while standing near dozens of OPP vehicles at a blocked-off Birch Street that leads to the secondary school.

Hill said the tactics and rescue unit, canine unit, emergency response team and detachment resources are on the scene.

Students are being evacuated from the school and will be relocated to Harriett Todd Public School.

"I don't want to say anything speculative in nature," said Hill when asked to confirm reports about a person with a gun. "I know it's an active investigation and, right now, the children are safe."

According to the Simcoe County District School Board, "Orchard Park and Harriet Todd public schools are in a police-initiated hold and secure as a precaution while the investigation at Twin Lakes continues. A hold and secure means activities continue inside the building, but exterior doors are locked and no one is allowed to enter or exit."

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ORIGINAL STORY: (10:20 a.m.)

Twin Lakes Secondary School is in lockdown this morning and the west-end school is swarming with police officers.

While no details are being released, an OPP officer is standing at the school's driveway entrance with a shotgun. Dozens of police vehicles, what appears to be members of the tactical unit, a canine unit and dozens of other officers are at the site.

Grade 12 student Riley Chapman was among a small group of students congregating outside the school as the scene unfolded.

He said he and Brianna Robertson were pulling into the school for their 9:30 a.m. class when a normal day turned into chaos.

"About eight cop cars pulled in the wrong way and came flying into the school," said Chapman."They all popped their trunks, grabbed guns and ran into the school. We tried to get out of our car and they told us to get back in."

About 10 minutes later, they were told "to move as far away from the school as we can."

Not long after, they were asked if they had guns, were frisked and told to leave the school.

The students said they had heard there was someone with a gun in the school.

At about 10 a.m., a female student was escorted out of the school by officers in fatigues. She was crying and trying to provide descriptions of two males to police officers.

"This is so scary to see in Orillia," said Robertson.

When a school is in lockdown, students are kept in their classes, against the walls behind locked doors.

Neither the school board or the OPP have released any details yet.