Updated: Thu Nov. 29 2007 6:42:29 PM

toronto.ctv.ca

One student and two teachers at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto have been suspended in connection with a bomb hoax at the Royal Ontario Museum that cancelled a prestigious AIDS research fundraiser.

The art academy said late Thursday that one of its students could have been involved in the bomb scare, but noted the act wasn't part of any school assignment or course.

"This incident at the ROM was totally unacceptable and is in no way condoned by OCAD," reads a statement from the school.

"The university has taken this matter very seriously and is conducting a full and thorough investigation in co-operation with the police."

The college said they called the museum and AIDS research organization on Thursday morning to apologize after they learned a student could have been involved.

The college didn't elaborate as to why the instructors were suspended, but noted they have been co-operative.

Police say charges are possible in the bomb scare, which occurred at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

A suspicious package that looked like a pipe bomb was discovered inside the museum's lobby.

Police closed the area to traffic as they brought in the bomb disposal unit. A piece of paper was attached to the object that read, "This is not a bomb." A robot determined the package was not a real bomb.

Police evacuated half of the museum, and the investigation cancelled a fundraiser organized by the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research (CANFAR). More than 2,000 people were expected to attend the event, for which tickets cost $600 apiece.

A short time later, a video depicting an explosion inside the museum was posted on YouTube entitled "The fake bombing at the ROM, Toronto, 28.11.07."

The video, which suggested at least two people staged the event, was also sent to media outlets.

The incident at the museum was a big blow to CANFAR's annual fundraising event, which has raised upwards of $500,000 in years past.

"This make me feel very sad -- it's quite a tragic event for the organization," the organization's executive director, Elissa Beckett, told CTV News.

"This is one-third of the revenue that we raise in one evening, so this represents a significant loss for AIDS research across Canada."

Fortunately, all the corporate sponsors said they would honour their donations.

With a report from CTV's Jim Junkin