'Complete shock': Lethbridge high school shaken following sexual assault allegations
Students at Chinook High School in Lethbridge said there was a sombre, uneasy feeling the day after police searched a football locker room for forensic evidence in connection to an alleged sexual assault.
In a news release Wednesday, the Lethbridge Police Service said the alleged incident involved a 16-year-old student and players on the football team. The alleged assault occurred in a school locker-room on Oct. 3, after school hours.
No arrests have been made and no charges have been laid at this time
However, many students are talking about the sexual assault allegations that have hit the school's football team. Some players on the team said they don't know what happened.
"Everybody's just in complete shock and the whole team doesn't know what to do,” said Jwan Ali, a Grade 11 student and member of the team.
Ali said he was in a different dressing room after school on Tuesday when police said a 16-year-old was assaulted in a locker room.
Team members said they feel shocked, hurt and left in the dark.
"Not everybody was there and the whole team is getting blamed for it and I don't think that's right," Ali told CTV News.
Police arrived at the school Wednesday with search warrants and the Forensic Identification Unit.
The Lethbridge Police Service's Forensic Identification Unit responded to Chinook High School to help investigate an alleged sexual assault.
Investigators said those involved knew each other.
"It did actually kind of shock me when something of this measure was just randomly told to everyone and my parents got an email about it and stuff," said Grade 10 student Liam Esselmont.
"I’ve never really heard of something like this happening."
Students said the school acknowledged the incident with them Thursday in a video address.
"This is a horrible thing for anyone to go through," said Christine Cassie, the CEO of the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre.
"I thank the school and the police for doing the investigation, that's fantastic that they're involved."
In a statement released Wednesday, the Lethbridge School Division said all football-related activities at Chinook High School have been suspended for the duration of the week to allow for the investigation to continue.
"Chinook High School continues to be committed to ensuring the safety and health of all students are of paramount importance,” the statement said.
Students said they’ve felt a shift in the mood around campus since the allegations were released.
"The mood so far today was been not very great," said Esselmont.
"People are still talking about in the hallway and stuff, like what could possibly have happened and rumours are spreading even though our principal said not to spread rumours."
"People are mostly trying to ignore it but you can tell it's on everyone’s mind," added Bryan Rumsey, a Grade Nine student at Chinook High School.
"Everyone’s thinking about it. Like ‘how is this going to change our school in the future?’"
The Chinook Sexual Assault Centre is reminding students of the supports available to them.
"I think, for the students, it's time to really do some reflection and really look at what systems of supports they have," said Cassie.
"All schools have school councillors that are there that are specialized that understand the different levels of trauma and certainly they are available for students to reach out to."
For more information on programs and supports for those affected by sexual assault and abuse, you can visit the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre’s website.
Both the Lethbridge Police Service and Lethbridge School Division will not be releasing any further information until the investigation is complete.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Moe 'will respond' to CRA, insists Saskatchewan has 'paid in full' amid carbon tax audit
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says his government 'will respond' to the Canada Revenue Agency when it concludes its audit of the province, but that his position is Saskatchewan doesn't owe Ottawa any money.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Sword-wielding man attacks passersby in London, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring 4 others
A man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers in a northeast London suburb Tuesday, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring four other people, British authorities said.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
WATCH Arnold Schwarzenegger spotted filming in Elora, Ont.
The name of the project has not been officially released although it’s widely believed to be the Netflix series FUBAR.
BREAKING Hosting Vancouver's FIFA World Cup games could cost half a billion dollars
Hosting seven games in Vancouver during the 2026 FIFA World Cup could cost more than half a billion dollars, according to an updated estimate provided Tuesday.
Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'
The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.