Update: Richmond elementary school open Friday after Thursday hold and secure

Brighouse elementary is operating as usual Friday, but Richmond RCMP are investigating what happened Thursday that led to a hold and secure at the school. Police say there will be an increased police presence around the school Friday. Because the investigation is ongoing, officers cannot comment on the specifics or on any potential suspect or suspects. Richmond RCMP media relations officer Sgt. Pak Yim thanked the public for its understanding and co-operation.

Parent Milly Yee criticized the school district’s communication, saying she did not learn of the hold and secure until an email arrived just after 2 p.m. She kept her child home Friday despite receiving an email in the evening saying the situation was all clear. Yee said many parents were “really upset” by the lack of information.

Yee said several RCMP vehicles had surrounded the school Thursday, while none appeared to be there Friday. With no explanation about whether the threat had been resolved, she did not feel comfortable sending her child to school. She said the public was owed transparency even if the incident proved to be a false alarm.

Yee said she understood the investigation was ongoing, but believed parents, staff and the community still needed communication to reassure them and confirm it was safe to return to school. She also asked what the protocol would be if this happened again, calling the situation a sign of a lack of transparency and emergency preparedness.