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RCMP called to Mildred Hall to assist with incident involving student

Simon Whitehouse
1112MildredHallPolice42

Yellowknife RCMP attended a call for service at Mildred Hall School on Wednesday to assist with an "evolving situation involving a student," according to a news release issued by police.

No further details about the student could be obtained by the end of Wednesday.

A City of Yellowknife ambulance sits behind RCMP vehicles as a precaution at Mildred Hall School after an "evolving incident" involving a student took place at the school, Wednesday.
Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo

According to the release, a call came in to the RCMP at 12:20 p.m. on Dec. 9.

NNSL Media saw three police cruisers race down Matonabee Street from Franklin Avenue shortly after 1 p.m.

An initial presence of two marked police vehicles and another unmarked police vehicle were on scene.

Shortly thereafter a third RCMP vehicle arrived.

A City of Yellowknife Fire Division EMS was also on scene at about 1:41 p.m. and idled in the school parking lot.

Police say that school staff initiated the "hold and secure protocol" to ensure safety.

Staff Sergeant Yannick Hamel, Yellowknife RCMP Operations Manager, stated that a hold and secure protocol is defined as a response within a school when an emergency situation takes place.

An incident usually involves an event not occurring within or related to the school.

" In this situation, all exterior doors are locked and monitored, to allow any students from outside to enter, but the doors should otherwise remain locked," Hamel stated.

"Classes may continue to function normally but no one is permitted to leave until the situation is resolved."

A hold and secure protocol is different from a lockdown which involves a restriction of movement in a school due to a threat of violence within or related to the school, Hamel added.

"Occupants remain in shelter areas until the situation is resolved," he stated.

Later in the afternoon, Mildred Hall School posted to their Facebook account stating: "We wanted to give you a head's up about a brief incident at school today in case your child has questions this evening. A student was having a tough time in the hallway this afternoon so we asked students to stay in their classes. Everything has been resolved and everyone is safe."

The release states that RCMP were able to de-escalate the situation and that a youth was taken to Stanton Territorial Hospital for assessment.

No one was injured during this incident and there were no concerns for public safety. No charges were placed.