A Duncan incident that originally raised concerns of a possible stabbing near a school is now being described by police as a fight that could lead to charges.
An altercation between two youths on the corner of James Street and the Trans Canada Highway on Tuesday afternoon raised enough concern that the principal of the nearby Cowichan Secondary School, took to Facebook to say the youths had nothing to do with the school. The incident was first thought to have involved a stabbing.
Const. Pam Bolton, a spokeswoman for the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP detachment, confimed that two youths were involved in an altercation in which both received minor injuries.
She said a tool in the backpack of the victim of the fight caused minor injuries to the alleged assailant during the incident.
Bolton said the alleged attacker was treated at the scene by RCMP officers and then arrested.
“Charges are pending,” Bolton said. “The victim was also treated at the scene by the RCMP for minor injuries, but was not taken to hospital.”
Coleman took to Facebook Tuesday to allay concerns.
“The RCMP have two suspects involved in the incident. Again, this had nothing to do with our school, and did not involve our students. RCMP do not believe their [sic] is any safety concern for our school,” he wrote after a concerned parent said he was picking his child up as the child no longer felt safe at school.
The school was not put on lockdown.
School District 79 spokesperson Katie McLaughlin said lockdowns are activated when there is an “immediate or imminent threat” to student safety.
“The RCMP were not concerned about the safety of students at the high school,” McLaughlin said. “If there was a concern, the school would have implemented the appropriate level of safety protocol—and that decision is made in coordination with the RCMP.”