Social Media Post Causes Concern

A male student under the age of 18 from Sarnia was recently investigated for sharing a threatening post over social media in regard to a possible school shooting at St. Patrick’s High School in Sarnia.

The initial social media post that was shared originated from the Kitchener Waterloo area last week and since then has been shared through several other jurisdictions before making its way to Sarnia. A local high school student commented on the threatening post, which caught the attention of the school and was reported to police on the 3^rd of April 2018. The student was quickly identified and promptly dealt with by the school and by the Sarnia Police. The Waterloo Regional Police Service has made an arrest in connection with the original threatening post. A female student under the age of eighteen was charged with Uttering Threats and Mischief Over $5000.00.

On the 5^th of April 2018, the Sarnia Police Service was contacted regarding the same social media post that was shared multiple times causing a serious concern that a school shooting may take place at St Patrick’s High School in Sarnia. On this date, members of the Community Response Division, the Criminal Investigations Division, and members of the Lambton County Ontario Provincial Police were able to locate the young person who made the original comment on the 3^rd of April 2018 as it continued to go viral and cause concerns for parents and students alike. The investigation has revealed that the comment that went viral on today’s date is the same comment that was made on the 3^rd of April 2018 by the same individual. The Sarnia Police Service has concluded their investigation into this matter and is satisfied that no new threats have occurred and are also satisfied that no imminent danger is posed to students at the local high school.

St Patrick’s High School will remain open as scheduled.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Miro Soucek of the Criminal Investigations Division at 519-344-8861 ext. 6191.

Constable Nelson Amaral

Community Services Branch

Tel: 519-344-8861 Ext 6137

Email: namaral@police.sarnia.on.ca