A social media post intended as “a joke” caused alarm and concern for staff and students at a Caledonia high school last week.

On March 20, officers from the Haldimand County Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police responded to a weapons complaint after several people reported seeing a picture of a female holding what appeared to be a gun, with the comment “don’t come to school tomorrow.”

The girl was identified by staff members at McKinnon Park Secondary School and investigators discovered another female student was also involved.

The students were spoken to by police and their parents were notified.

Both students said they had posted the image as a joke and realized that it had gone too far.

The alleged gun used in the photo was actually an airsoft pistol.

Police say the matter is being dealt with by school officials.

Haldimand County OPP Constable Rod LeClair is reminding the public to think before you post. “People need to really think of the consequences before they post comments and images on social media. These students may have intended the social media post to be a joke, but there is simply no joke about this,” said LeClair.