Montreal: Hoax 911 Call Triggers Police at Ubisoft Offices

Police denied any mass kidnapping incident at Ubisoft offices in Montreal, stating that the security operation which was carried out on Friday at the headquarters was a result of a 'hoax' 911 call.

Montreal police quickly responded to the call, confirming that dozens of security personnel, some of them heavily armed, urged people to “avoid the area” near St-Laurent Boulevard and St-Viateur Street in Montreal’s Mile-End neighborhood, close to downtown around 1:30 p.m.

Police later updated in a statement that “no threat has been detected so far. No injuries were reported.”

The images captured by the media, and the statements of some people working at the site, caused sources to speculate that dozens of people had been kidnapped, although Montreal police did not reveal any motives.

Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante stated on Twitter that the city was in contact with police, asking people to clear the area.

[embed]https://twitter.com/Val_Plante/status/1327339563430391808?s=09[/embed]

"We are currently in contact with the authorities," Ubisoft spokesperson Antoine Leduc-Labelle said.

"The entire Ubisoft community in Montreal, in Quebec and around the world is overwhelmed by the events we experienced today and, above all, relieved by their outcome," Christophe Derennes, the managing director, said in a statement on Friday evening.

“Police officers were dispatched to the scene to respond to a 911 call,” a police spokesperson told AFP. “The information has still not been validated,” the official said, adding that “officers specializing in this type of intervention are currently on the scene and are carrying out checks”.

“ We want to salute the courage and composure our teams showed today, our focus remains on ensuring their health and wellbeing,”  Ubisoft Montréal wrote in an official statement on Twitter. “We would always like to thank the SPVM for quick and professional responds, helping to bring the  situation under control.”

[embed]https://twitter.com/UbisoftMTL/status/1327406771904929792?s=09[/embed]

“Thankful to hear everyone is safe. Thanks everybody who reached out today,”  Ubisoft senior community developer Eric Pope said on Twitter. “I have a lot of feelings right now.”

[embed]https://twitter.com/MrPope/status/1327381180598128645?s=09[/embed]