Middle school placed on lockdown during West Kelowna manhunt
Credit to Author: Harrison Mooney| Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 00:56:22 +0000
An attempted traffic stop turned into a tense manhunt in West Kelowna on Tuesday morning as a heavy police presence descended on the neighbourhood of Glenrosa, leading to a lockdown of a local elementary school.
According to West Kelowna RCMP, police involved in an investigation tried to stop a vehicle on Glenrosa Road around 10:40 a.m. The driver didn’t comply.
“The vehicle failed to stop for police and was last seen driving at a high rate of speed from that location,” police said in a news release Tuesday.
Shortly after that, police found the vehicle unoccupied and began to search the surrounding area for the driver, who Mounties believed may have been armed.
A stretch of Glenrosa Road was closed during the manhunt, affecting several business, which were notified of the incident, and Glenrosa Middle School, which was placed on lockdown for about an hour beginning at lunchtime. Students were asked to stay in their classrooms.
In a news release, police explained that the incident wasn’t related to the school and the lockdown was a precaution. Mounties have since established there is no threat to the public, they said. Glenrosa Road has been reopened and the lockdown has been lifted.
“The West Kelowna RCMP wish to extend their thanks to all those who were impacted, for their patience, understanding and full co-operation during the temporary road and business closures.” adds RCMP Const. Lesley Smith.
The probe is continuing, police said.
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