LANGLEY RCMP announced on Thursday that they arrested a youth believed to be the ‘suspicious male’ in the east field of Brookswood Secondary School in Wednesday’s incident. The 17-year-old Langley male was released from custody bound by a number of conditions.

Police said that the events leading up to Wednesday’s lockdown still require some clarification. “It would appear there had been a confrontation involving pepper spray in the morning between a Brookswood student and our suspect,” they added.

Police believe the suspect returned to the school grounds later in the day and may have been in possession of a firearm.

The firearm has not been recovered at this time and there are multiple witnesses and involved parties still to be interviewed. The possibility the firearm was a replica is being investigated.

Police said: “Rumours and conjecture on social media both during and after the events [on Wednesday] did little to assist police in their efforts. Rather, the rumours served to hinder the investigation and escalated the anxiety suffered by the parents waiting for their children.”

Police said they will continue with their investigation and if warranted, documentation will be forwarded to Crown Counsel for their consideration.