Safety and security services at Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby campus were quick to act when a popular social media feed reported a student had attacked their teacher during class Tuesday afternoon.
“Burnaby RCMP are responding to SFU for reports a student pulled out a knife and tried to stab a teacher during class,” wrote ScanBC on Twitter and Facebook.
The post was shared more than 500 times on Twitter and Facebook combined, and garnered 175 comments on Facebook. The alleged incident was also picked up by a Vancouver-based media outlet, which is when SFU took to social media to respond to ScanBC’s allegations.
In a statement from Steven MacLean, senior director of campus safety and security services – safety and risk services, he says contrary to what was being “inaccurately” reported online, the “incident did not involve injuries to others.”
“Late in the afternoon of Nov. 17, a student who seemed to be planning an act of self-harm was seen by an instructor outside of a classroom building on SFU's Burnaby campus. The student was safely disarmed by the instructor and others and is now receiving support,” read the statement.
Kurt Heinrich, director of university communications at SFU, told the NOW in an email, the university “put out the short statement to correct some misinformation that was being spread on social media and that had been picked up by News1130.”
Burnaby RCMP told the NOW officers did attend an incident on campus, but said the claim a stabbing had occurred was unfounded.
