2 men charged, weapons seized after threat made to school: OPP

Ontario Provincial Police say theyhave charged two 18-year-old men and seized several weapons after a threat was made to Collingwood high school earlier this year.

In a news release on Thursday, the OPP's Collingwood and Blue Mountains detachment said it received a report on Wednesday about a potential threat to Collingwood Collegiate Institute made by a former student. The threat was made in March, police said.

Police said the"threat was not imminent" but that it takes threats seriously.

"Public safety is our top priority," the OPP said in the release.

The OPP said it went to the former student's home in Clearview Township and discovered two firearms and several high-capacity magazines. The guns and ammunition were all improperly stored and the former student did not have a valid firearms licence, police said.

Police also said they stopped the former student's vehicle in a parking lot on Cameron Street in Collingwood and arrested the driver and a passenger.

During the arrest, police said theyseized two replica firearms, bear spray, pepper spray, a knifeand brass knuckles.

An 18-year-old man from Clearview Township has been charged with:

• Utter threats to cause death.
• Four counts of possession of a prohibited device for a dangerous purpose.
• Three counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
• Two counts of unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm.
• Two counts of possession of an imitation firearm for a dangerous purpose.
• Possess a prohibited device.
• Three counts of careless storage of firearm, weapon, prohibited device or ammunition.

An 18-year-old man from Collingwood, who was the passenger of the vehicle, was charged with:two counts of possession of a prohibited device for a dangerous purpose; and breach of a sentence order.

Both accused were held for bail and willappear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Barrie.