SD33, Chilliwack RCMP pledge to work closely after child abduction attempt at school

CHILLIWACK – A spokesperson for the Chilliwack School District says SD33 will continue safety training exercises and work closely with the Chilliwack RCMP in the aftermath of last week’s child abduction attempt at Central Elementary Community School.

A man wearing a purple “bunny-like” mask was thwarted by a concerned parent last Wednesday, May 13 at Central Elementary. Police were called to the school just after 9 a.m. after a masked man was seen attempting to remove a 7-year-old child from the school. RCMP Supt. Darren Pankratz says a parent dropping off their child noticed the situation wasn’t right and intervened, bringing the girl back unharmed before notifying police. Police have charged 49-year-old Joel McGillis with kidnapping a person under 16, and he was due in court on Friday.

SD33 spokesperson Amy Dhanjal says district staff continue to treat incident with the utmost severity.

“The safety of students and staff is our highest priority. We understand that this type of situation may be concerning for students and families,” Dhanjal said. “The district is working closely with the RCMP. The district has safety procedures in place, and we’ll continue to participate in safety training and drills. We encourage any families who have concerns to reach out to their school principal.”

While a publication ban is in place, RCMP spokesperson Corporal Carmen Kiener says their investigation into the child abduction is ongoing.

“We are working closely with the school district as student and community safety is a top priority,” Cpl. Kiener said.