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VANCOUVER — RCMP announced Wednesday night that they found nothing suspicious in the Biological Sciences Building at the University of British Columbia after locking down the facility Wednesday afternoon following a report of a threat to someone's personal safety.
Police cordoned off the area surrounding the building for several hours and those in the labs, classrooms and offices were told to lock the doors and stay in their rooms until they were advised it was safe to leave.
Twenty-eight members of the emergency response team and 20 support staff responded, including explosive disposal unit, police dog sniffers and fire and ambulance services. Police ruled out any link between the threat and animal rights.
Police would not say who received the threat or how it was communicated, saying releasing such information could jeopardize their investigation.
Scott Macrae, executive director of UBC public affairs, said the university took steps to respond after receiving a threat indicating criminal intentions. The RCMP were notified, assessed the threat and decided on the appropriate response, he said.
He dismissed speculation by some who came out of the building that the lockdown was a drill to prepare for a real emergency. “This is not a drill,” he added.
