Students shelter-in-place after police report

Reports of gunfire in a nearby neighbourhood from RCMP prompted staff to take emergency action at a Kelowna school.

A shelter-in-place procedure was enacted by staff at Springvalley Middle School around 3:00 p.m. today.

“As parents had already arrived for the 3:15 dismissal, parents were called indoors or told to stay in vehicles, and a few students who had already boarded a bus returned indoors,” a news release from Central Okanagan Public Schools (District 23) stated.

The emergency procedure was lifted 17 minutes after it was called, when RCMP confirmed the report was false.

“School administrators and staff are trained to follow strict procedures and always act out of an abundance of caution to ensure the safety of school communities,” the school district added.