Cape Breton Regional Police say the lockdown has been lifted at Sydney Academy following a weapons complaint Wednesday morning.
Several police units responded to the scene around 8:45 a.m. and officers had their weapons drawn outside the building.
A spokesperson for the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board tells CTV News a threat was made over social media.
However, the spokesperson says no weapons were found at Sydney Academy and all students are safe.
For parents who rushed to the school, it was a frightening scene.
"It's very traumatizing to wonder if your kids are okay," said one parent.
While most students were locked down inside, a few were stranded outside.
"All I know is there's kids inside classrooms and they can't do anything,” said Grade 9 student Fenton LeBrun. “They're having panic attacks and they're all scared."
A male student was seen being taken out of the school and put into a police vehicle. However, police say his arrest was not related to the weapons complaint, but to another unrelated incident.
The lockdown was lifted before 1 p.m. and students were released from the school.
"I'm so relieved that I got my baby back and she's safe,” said parent Janine Christmas. “I just feel overwhelmed."
"I'm taking my baby boys out of this school today, and they're not coming back tomorrow. Maybe not the rest of the week," said parent Nicole Dithurbide
After a similar incident happened at Millwood High School in Middle Sackville the day before, Christmas wonders if this was a copycat incident.
"Yesterday there was something happening at that school in Halifax, and now this? Something needs to happen,” she said.
Cape Breton Regional Police will remain on scene as they continue to investigate.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
