Iqaluit (Mar 03/03) - Students at Nanook school in Apex were confined to the building on Tuesday after a janitor discovered a bullet slug on the gym floor.

The direction of the entry point of this bullet hole, one of eight at Nanook school, suggests the shot was taken from a low ridge behind the school. The bullet holes were clustered around a light fixture on the wall. The light was not hit. - Chris Woodall/NNSL photo

Police were called to the scene when a bullet hole was found up the wall from where the bullet was found.

An RCMP investigation subsequently found eight shots had been fired at the southeast wall of the gymnasium.

Police would not speculate, but a close look at the point of entry of the lowest bullet hole by a News/North reporter suggests the shots came from someone on a low ridge behind the school. Snowmobile tracks on the ridge show recent activity there.

One of the bullets, which RCMP said may have come from a small-calibre rifle,

penetrated the wall and entered the gym.

"It could have been a .22. We can't exactly say for sure. It was small calibre," said Const. Joe Baines of the Iqaluit RCMP detachment.

Students were released when a sweep of the area assured their safety.

As of Friday, RCMP did not have any suspects and had not pinpointed when the shots were fired.

Baines said police were first called about a bullet hole around 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

"No shots were heard," he said.

Police are interviewing people ranging from adults to youth to try and learn more about the incident.

A snowmobile, which was reported stolen, was also found near the school.

Baines said the two incidents may be related.

RCMP are treating the shooting as isolated. Baines said parents should not be afraid to send their children back to school.

-- with files from Chris Woodall