Sudbury police investigating threat against local high school
Sudbury police are investigating after several students received a message on social media Monday night describing a school shooting.
Multiple complaints were called in shortly after 6:05 p.m. after several youths received a screenshot of a Snapchat post regarding a potential threat at St. Charles College, Greater Sudbury Police Service said in a news release Tuesday morning.
St. Charles College in Sudbury. March 7/23 (Alana Everson/CTV Northern Ontario)
"Officers have spoken to the youth identified in the post, as well as, multiple students who received the post. Currently, we do not believe there to be a risk to staff and students," police said.
"The youth believed to be responsible will not be attending school today (Tuesday) as the investigation is ongoing."
After 10:30 a.m. Tuesday police released an update saying the youth mentioned in the Snapchat post is not responsible and it originated from a fake account used to target the individual.
The origin of the threat is being looked at by the criminal investigations division.
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"We take these types of incidents very seriously and the safety of staff and students is our top priority," police said.
As a result, there will be an increased police presence at the school and additional resources will be made to students.
"We know that social media is very prevalent and is becoming more and more used by youth as form of communication. However, youth do have to realize the consequences that are associated to expressing these kinds of incidents online as well as using it to target or cyberbully other youth," Sudbury police spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn told CTV News in an interview.
Dunn said the punishment for an incident "like this can range from something internally within the school from disciplinary action including suspension all the way up to criminal charges which include public mischief."
CTV News reached out to the Sudbury District Catholic School Board for comment and is awaiting a response.
Anyone with information about the incident who has not already spoken to police is asked to come forward. Call police at 705-675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477.
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