Pistol replica causes alarm at Cambrian residence

Cambrian College said it's reviewing its security protocols after a Jan. 17 incident at one of the college's residences involving what's believed to be a pistol replica.

Greater Sudbury Police was called to the college at around 10:40 p.m. on a weapons complaint after a group of four men had visited the residence, and caused a disturbance.

Police later arrested two young men off campus in relation to the incident. The 17-year-old suspect, who was carrying a knife, was charged with possession of a weapon and resisting arrest.

The 18-year-old suspect was charged with resisting arrest, possession of drugs and two counts of breach of recognizance.

Based on the information available, it's Cambrian College's understanding the “complaint of a weapon on campus was with regards to a replica or toy pistol,” according to Cambrian associate vice-president of college advancement Shawn Poland.

No firearm was located during the arrests, according to Greater Sudbury Police spokesperson Const. Bert Lapalme.

Police are still investigating the incident, and are attempting to determine the identity of the two other young men who were involved, he said.

The incident had the Cambrian community buzzing, as students took to the Facebook forum Spotted at Cambrian to express their concern.

Poland said in an email statement that based on the information the college has, the men in question were not Cambrian students, and had not been invited into the residence.

He said it's not uncommon for there to be increased numbers of visitors on post-secondary campuses on weekends.

The response by campus security, Cambrian's management team, and police were efficient and appropriate to the situation, he said.

“The safety of our students remains a top priority for Cambrian,” Poland said.

“Our security personnel and staff undergo emergency response training so that we can provide as safe an environment as possible. We also review and look to improve our security measures on a regular basis.

“One of these improvement measures is the installation of additional surveillance equipment in our courtyard that commenced prior to Christmas and is nearing completion.

“As well, any time there is an incident such as the one Friday night, we review our response and work closely with Greater Sudbury Police to determine if and where improvements can be made.”

@heidi_ulrichsen