An alarming phone call sparked a temporary lockdown of a local school by New Westminster police earlier today.
According to Staff Sgt. Paul Hyland, police received a report indicating four men armed with guns entered an apartment building in the 800 block of McBride Boulevard.
“As you can imagine this elicited a significant police response, including members of the (Lower Mainland District) emergency response team,” Hyland said in an email to The Record.
By about 11:40 a.m. people in the area were tweeting there were about 10 police cars and several officers surrounding the apartment building.
#newwest incident at Massey Apts 10 police cars & potential gun involved. Mott cresent closed. Anyone else got information?
— James Crosty (@Crostyca) January 21, 2014
Can't find any information on what's happening on McBride Blvd. in New Westminster. Police everywhere. Yesterday 3 firetrucks in same place
— Sarah Alicia Elder (@mingangel) January 21, 2014
Access to Mott Crescent was closed for a short while and F.W. Howay Elementary School was also put on a temporary lockdown as police searched the area for the suspects, Hyland wrote.
“F.W. Howay school was put on a temporary lockdown out of an abundance of caution, particularly due to the fact that it was near the lunch break and we did not want the kids out while the search for these individuals was going on,” he added.
After an extensive search, police were unable to find any trace of the suspects. According to Hyland, investigators now believe the call was unfounded.
F.W. Howay has since reopened.
The police incident in the 800 block McBride Blvd has been concluded. Looking at this point to be an unfounded call.
— New West Police (@NewWestPD) January 21, 2014
