University of Toronto buildings shut down as police search for suspicious person (UPDATE)

[Saviolo]

Last edited Mon Jun 13, 2016, 03:57 PM - Edit history (2)

Coverage here: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/university-of-toronto-buildings-shut-down-as-police-search-for-suspicious-person-1.3632562

From the article:

Toronto police's emergency task force is searching buildings at the University of Toronto after receiving reports of a suspicious person on campus.

Police say that security at the university made the first report after seeing someone in a building under construction at 6 Hoskin Avenue.

Police also received another report of a person with a gun in the area, and are trying to determine whether that was a police officer or a suspicious person.

For a list of closed buildings and lock-downs: https://www.utoronto.ca/campus-status

My brother works in one of the buildings a little south of here on campus (these are up near the ROM, and he's closer down to College in the health sciences building). They're not really telling anyone on campus what's going on, just warning everyone to stay in their buildings, etc...

Stay safe out there, folks.


UPDATE:

From BuzzFeed: https://www.buzzfeed.com/ishmaeldaro/university-of-toronto-on-lockdown-after-reports-of-suspiciou?bftwcanada&utm_term=.rwWEEe9PbR#.yt3MMaWgP3

Toronto Police told BuzzFeed Canada they received an initial call from campus security just after 9 a.m. that said a masked man was seen on campus at Trinity College.

A second call from a civilian came less than a half hour later and claimed a man with a gun was on campus. “That information was very limited and we have been unable to reconnect with them to confirm what it was they saw and to confirm the legitimacy,” a police spokesperson said.

Police emphasized that the report of a gun is “completely unconfirmed.” They said the man in question was wearing a “surgical mask.”

Police confirmed a man has been arrested and placed in a police car on campus. Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said during a brief press conference that the man in custody is “under investigation for something else right now,” and would not offer additional details.

SickKids Hospital and Women’s College Hospital, which are several blocks away from the U of T campus, are also now on lockdown.

I removed "armed" from the title, as that has not been confirmed, yet.

Update 2:

Looks like TPS has given the all clear, and have reopened the campus. Everything seems to be going back to normal, and it looks as though the "armed" part may have been unwarranted.

From the updated CBC story:

Police also received another report of a person with a gun in the area, and were trying to determine whether that was a police officer or a suspicious person.

"We have not seen a picture of any firearms at this point in time," said Saunders. "There have been a few people who have said they've seen a suspicious person that fits the likeness of the photo that was shown to me."

Officers were using a picture taken by a witness as a reference. The photo did not come from security footage, although police were hoping surveillance video could "enhance it further."

"That picture did not indicate or show a firearm," said Saunders, adding that "someone else" made the comment about seeing a gun, which is why the emergency task force was called in.

One person was arrested earlier in the day, but it looks like everything's done now.