Police label Brownsburg bomb scare a hoax

The Maison des Jeunes de Brownsburg-Chatham was quickly evacuated on Wednesday, June 20, after an employee discovered a suspicious-looking box full of wires abandoned just outside the rear entrance to the youth facility.
Fearing that the device might be a bomb, the worker quickly contacted the Sûreté du Quebec, who arrived within minutes of the call to evacuate the Maison des Jeunes, which is located at 385 rue Principale, in Brownsburg, as well as the surrounding homes and businesses.
"We received a call at about 5:15 p.m. about a suspicious package around the Maison des Jeunes," said SQ spokesman, Sergeant Gino Paré, who explained that after SQ police officers had completed their evacuation they set up a security perimeter and called in specialized explosives technicians from the Montreal division of the SQ bomb squad.
When the bomb squad arrived, Paré said that technicians used a robot to inspect the box, which was covered in wires. Explosive charges were then used to neutralize the package.
"It was not a real bomb. It contained non-explosive material," said Paré who said police suspect that the incident was a malicious prank.
"More than 400 teenagers visit the Maison des Jeunes each month and 20 to 30 teenagers visit the location each day, said director, Francois Legault, who told The Review on Thursday that he hopes this malicious incident does not deter parents from sending their children to the facility, which offers music and dance classes, as well as cooking courses, sports facilities and other activities.
This summer, the Maison des Jeunes will also offer a summer program with day trips to the water park, camping trips, sports options and a trip to La Ronde.
"We have a strong reputation in the community and we offer lots of activities," said Legault, who said that this was an isolated incident in which none of the children were placed in any danger.
The Maison des Jeunes remained closed until June 26, while police investigated the premises and youth counsellors and administrators spoke with parents and answered media inquiries.
If you have any information regarding this or other crimes, you are urged to call 310-4141 or go directly to the SQ detachment at 350, rue Bethany, in Lachute. You can also contact Info-Crime Quebec, where you can speak anonymously with an agent at Tel: 1-800-711-1800.