Security has not been increased at Oakwood Collegiate Institute in the wake of police arresting a 17-year-old boy who allegedly threatened to attack the west-end school on the 27th anniversary of the massacre at École Polytechnique de Montréal on Tuesday.

The suspect is alleged to have made the threat in a post on an unspecified blog on Dec. 1.

A search warrant was then executed at the suspect’s home early Tuesday morning and a number of weapons – including a machete, a hatchet, two swords, four knives and several arrows for a longbow – were seized.

The suspect was also arrested at that time and charged with one count of uttering threats of death and one count of uttering threats of bodily harm. The boy, however, was granted bail later that morning.

Speaking with reporters outside Oakwood Collegiate Institute on Thursday, Principal Steven Yee said that security at the school has not been beefed up but various supports have been made available to students, including the presence of five social workers and a school psychologist.

Yee said he also visited each class at the school this morning to personally speak with students.

“It is a situation that is certainly concerning and we want to make sure that they hear from me as their principal,” he said. “I want to make sure that they feel safe, that they understand the situation and I want to share with them some of the supports we have here today and as long as we need them.”

Tipster first alerted police to tip

Toronto police Det. Len Nicholson told CP24 on Wednesday that a tipster calling from the western United States first alerted officers to the threat.

Nicholson said police – through Internet service providers – were then able to trace the threat to a Toronto District School Board computer. At that point, a review of login information allowed police to identify the suspect.

Police have not said whether the suspect attended Oakwood Collegiate Institute; only that he attended a TDSB school.

“By no means on Tuesday were there any safety concerns in the building,” Yee said on Thursday. “The threat that was made originally was relayed to me on Monday after school. I met with police and was informed that there was a potential threat to the school. Then early Tuesday morning I received a call at my bedside to say that the person they were concerned about was apprehended and that there was no safety concern at the school at all.”

TDSB officials say that that the doors to Oakwood Collegiate Institute are locked during the school day, as per board policy.

Two Toronto police resource officers are also posted at the school, along with a TDSB hall monitor. As well, there are 26 security cameras at the school.

“There are two school resource officers and let me tell you they are on high alert,” Trustee Marit Stiles told CP24 on Thursday. “They are being very careful today and they are also taking to students about the need to communicate, to share information and to look out for each other.”

Students return to classes ‘shocked’ by news

Oakwood Collegiate students who returned to classes Thursday morning told CTV News Toronto that they were worried about coming back at first, but are reassured that police made a timely arrest.

“My mom is pretty shocked about it,” Oakwood student Jay Campbell said. “She’s overwhelmed. She didn’t want me to come to school but I had to come to school.”

“It’s pretty scary. I kind of felt like I didn’t want to come to school the next day but I had to anyway,” a student who didn’t provide their name told CTV News Toronto

“It’s crazy because you see all of this stuff in the U.S. but you don’t really see it here in Canada. Canada is really peaceful, you know. People are really nice,” student Joshua Youbla added.

Oakwood Principal Steven Yee said he hopes students are aware that school staff are on hand to provide support if necessary.

“The message is that we’re here to support the students,” Yee said.