Elliot Lake Secondary School was locked down Thursday afternoon after photos started circulating on social media of a person carrying a handgun.
The Ontario Provincial Police later determined that the firearm was actually a pellet gun modified to resemble a genuine handgun — and "looked very real," according to a press release issued today by the OPP's East Algoma detachment.
"Police attended to clear the school and ensure the safety of students and staff," the news release says. "After investigation, it was determined the handgun that a person had at school was a pellet gun. However, all identifiable features that showed it was a pellet gun were removed. So, the gun looked very real."
The release does not say if anyone was charged in connection with the June 1 lockdown, which went into effect around 3 p.m. But police did use the opportunity to warn people that if officers mistake a pellet gun for a real gun, the consequences could be dire.
"Pellet guns and toy guns have very identifiable features and markings on them for good reason — so they cannot be mistaken for a real gun," OPP Constable Phil Young says in the release. "By removing these markings, [it] makes it very dangerous for responding officers if they cannot distinguish between a pellet gun and real gun. All they see is gun and will respond appropriately."