A number of Ryerson University buildings were evacuated Friday morning after campus security alerted police to a suspicious package in a garbage bin.
Toronto police say security guards heard a beeping noise coming from a concrete garbage can near Bond and Gould streets just after 9:30 a.m.
“Out of an abundance of caution, they activated some safety protocols, which included notifying the Toronto Police Service,” Insp. Peter Moreira said.
The safety measures included the evacuation of five buildings in the vicinity, including Oakham House, South Bond Building and the Student Campus Centre.
The service’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear team (CBRNE) responded to the scene and deployed a robot, which was able to remove a bag from the bin making the noise.
Moreira said police determined it to be a “personal alarm,” the kind that is commonly attached to laptops or bicycle locks and readily available in stores.
“We don’t believe there’s any criminality at all,” he said.
Moreira commended Ryerson campus security for their vigilance, noting that “all the right steps were taken” to ensure the safety of the school and its students.
“If you see something, say something. I think that’s a message that’s been broadcast not just in the City of Toronto but right around the world,” he said.
The evacuation orders have since been lifted and roads are reopening in the area.
