NRP Media Release - September 14, 2007 

Quick response and teamwork by both the Niagara Regional Police Service and Niagara College Officials are being credited in the peaceful ending to a potentially dangerous situation as a Niagara College student is arrested, armed with a weapon.

At 4:10 p.m. September 14, 2007 Niagara Regional Police received a call for assistance from Niagara College Security after a student reported that he saw a man get off a Welland Transit Bus with what appeared to be a handgun tucked into the waistband of his pants.

Acting Sergeant Simon Gichard and Constable Robert Kish arrived within minutes to the assistance call and immediately coordinated with Niagara College Security to initiate a lockdown of the Merritt Simcoe Complex, and a residence on the Niagara College Campus. Numerous units from both the uniform branch and the 3-district criminal investigations branch also responded to set up a security perimeter around the Merritt Simcoe Complex. An orderly, controlled evacuation was undertaken as students were safely removed from the building. As students evacuated the building, the suspect attempted to leave but was identified by officers and apprehended without incident. An unloaded weapon was found in his possession.

The suspect has been identified as Daniel MOOK, an 18-year-old Niagara resident, and first-year student at Niagara College. He is facing numerous charges related to this incident.

Niagara Regional Police Duty Inspector Bob Ciupa says, “While these cases are rare in Canada and unheard of until now in Niagara, we had a peaceful ending today because of rapid response, teamwork and good procedures, but I hope the seriousness of the matter and the potential it held for tragedy helps our community understand why they invest so much in teaching their police officers to deal with just such situations. This is why we train.”