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Saanich police suspect slingshot used to break window at SD61 office

Police find ball- bearing, or pellet, below broken window at school board
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Saanich Police are investigating a broken window at the Greater Victoria School District office. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

A “shots fired” call drew a heavy Saanich police presence to the Greater Victoria School District head office on Boleskine Road Thursday morning.

A photo of the broken window. (Devon Bidal/News Staff)

When officers arrived on Oct. 22, they discovered a cracked glass window on the building’s main floor – above street level – believed to be caused by a silver ball-bearing found on the stairs below the window. Saanich police suspect the ball-bearing was flung using a slingshot but noted the projectile could have been thrown.

The staff inside the board office heard a “loud bang” and reacted as though shots had been fired, said Const. Markus Anastasiades. The building was put under a hold-and-secure until police arrived and he said no injuries were reported in the incident.

The ball-bearing didn’t break through the glass and Anastasiades noted that the tinted film on the inner side of the glass was still intact.

Police are investigating the incident and looking for security footage or witnesses who were in the area around 10 a.m. Anyone with information is asked to come forward.

According to Anastasiades, slingshots, like the one police suspect was used in this incident, can be purchased at Canadian Tire.


 

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