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June 26, 2018 - 9:00 PM
SALMON ARM - A high school student from Salmon Arm is facing serious consequences after allegedly making a threat on social media.
The student, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, is facing one count of uttering threats in relation to an incident earlier this month, spokesperson for the B.C. Prosecution Service Dan McLaughlin confirms. The individual returns to court in early July to consult counsel.
The youth, who was detained on June 14 while arriving at school, has since been released from custody on strict conditions designed “to preserve public safety,” Salmon Arm RCMP Sgt. Scott West says. Those include undergoing counselling, not possessing any weapons and abiding by a curfew.
Police in Kelowna and Salmon Arm launched an investigation on June 13 and 14 after being made aware of a potential threat made on social media. No weapons were located when the suspect was taken into custody, and West says an extensive investigation also confirmed the individual had no imminent access to weapons.
Police have not drawn any links between the youth’s arrest and a series of Twitter posts identified by the U.S.-based threat-spotting company Tactical Institute. The company said it alerted Kelowna RCMP about the Twitter account — which it deemed a code red, or high-level threat — in the middle of the night on June 13 to 14.
The North Okanagan-Shuswap School District was informed by RCMP on June 14 that a student at Salmon Arm Secondary had allegedly made a threat online. Superintendent of School District 83 Peter Jory says in a written statement that it took immediate action following the incident, including bringing additional counsellors and therapy dogs to Salmon Arm Secondary.
The school district also consulted with Safer Schools Together, a Ministry sponsored resource, and enacted its Violence Threat/Risk Assessment protocol.
“The (risk assessment) is a shared responsibility and community response to threats where a… team is mobilized involving the School District, RCMP, Child and Youth Mental Health, Ministry of Children and Family Development, and other agencies that may have relevant information to share,” Jory says. “The gathering and sharing of this information leads to a full understanding of the context and situation, and appropriate risk assessments which — in turn — lead to good interventions.”
He says support for students is provided throughout the process, including plans for their return and reintegration as appropriate. Support is provided through community agencies and the school district.
Ongoing monitoring and support for all students continues and involves staff from the recently opened Wellness Centre at Salmon Arm Secondary, Jory says.
The district wouldn’t say how many threats have been made by students over the past couple of years, but notes “all worrisome behaviour and various forms of threat making behaviour is taken seriously and addressed through the established district policies and protocols.” All schools are required to conduct drills for emergency procedures such as lockdowns and hold and secures.
The district wants parents and guardians to know they also have an important role to play.
“Parents and guardians are key partners in creating safe, caring, and orderly schools. Monitoring their child's social media use is very important. One of the most encouraging trends we are seeing across North America is a willingness to report worrisome behaviours to school authorities. We share with our students and staff regularly information around social media use, digital citizenship, and what types of worrisome behaviours require our attention, including social media posts,” Jory says.
— This story was updated at 11:44 a.m. June 29, 2018 to add details of the youth's bail conditions, after they were released by the RCMP.
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