Lockdown lifted at Regina high school after students threatened with bear spray: police

A high school in Regina was put under a lockdown Friday afternoon after police received reports of two students being chased by people threatening to attack them with bear spray.

Just after 1 p.m., police received a report that two students were being chased by two or three other people in the area of Miller Comprehensive Catholic High School, who were threatening to assault them with bear spray, a news release from the Regina Police Service said.

The caller said the people chasing the students were in the area of Miller school and may have entered the College Avenue school, according to police.

As a precaution, Miller school was put into lockdown while police search for the people involved.

In an update sent just before 4 p.m., police said the weapons investigation at Miller high school was concluded and the lockdown had been lifted.

Police are asking the public to avoid the area around Miller High School as they investigate. (Adam Bent/CBC)

Balfour Collegiate, St. Augustine School, St. Faustina School and Thompson School were also put into "secure the building" mode, meaning all outside doors are locked to secure the building and monitored by school staff. Those conditions were also lifted, police said in their update.

Police say their investigation into the incident is continuing. Heavy police presence was still visible in the area as of 2:30 p.m.

The Regina Catholic School Division said in a statement police asked staff during the school's lunch period to put the school in a lockdown protocol — meaning doors are locked and students "remain quiet and out of sight until released by Regina police."

The division said its schools conduct lockdown drills, and in this case students and staff "followed the rehearsed protocol."

Police lifted the lockdown at about 3:20, and students were then released as usual, the division said.