Normal activities resume at downtown University of Toronto campus

Activities at the University of Toronto’s downtown campus are returning to their usual schedule after Toronto police gave the all-clear following an investigation Monday that saw several buildings on the St. George campus placed under lockdown.

Police ended their investigation about 3 p.m. Monday and issued a statement that “no threat to public safety” was found after an extensive search. The U of T’s Faculty of Law and several adjacent buildings were placed under lockdown Monday morning after police received reports of a “suspicious person.” 

Police cordoned off University Avenue and Queen's Park Crescent between Bloor Street to Hoskin Avenue until mid-afternoon and the TTC stopped subway service to the Museum station during that time as they searched several university buildings for the individual. 

 “On behalf of the University, I want to thank all members of the community – students, faculty and staff – who responded calmly and quickly to this event on our St. George campus,” University of Toronto President Meric Gertler said following the investigation. “And I also want to extend our thanks to the Toronto Police Service and our Campus Community Police for their fast action and for the care they took to ensure the safety of everyone in the area.

“I think I speak for many of us when I say that this has been a distressing day, but I am very relieved at the outcome.”

Toronto police chief Mark Saunders, who personally came to the scene to talk to reporters, said a witness was able to take a photograph of the individual in question, which showed a man dressed in black with a black knapsack and a surgical mask. The chief said the picture shows no sign of a firearm, as reported by one individual. Attempt by police to reach the individual who made that report were unsuccessful, he said.