MABOU: Police say no charges have been laid yet but the teenager who was arrested in relation to the threat made against Dalbrae Academy is scheduled to appear in court later next month.
“The youth was released on documents indicating a court date of December 18 in Port Hawkesbury Youth Court,” RCMP Public Information Officer Cpl. Jennifer Clarke told The Reporter last Friday.
The teenager, who can’t be identified according to the Youth Criminal Justice Act, posted a photo of somebody inside a vehicle, looking into the camera, wide-eyed, wearing a purple Halloween mask and a top hat with the caption “Buddy’s about to@shoot up the school.”
After receiving a report of a possible threat to the school made using Instagram, school administration immediately implemented the Code Blue: Lockdown procedure and reported the alleged threat to the RCMP and the Strait Regional Centre for Education, in accordance with their School Emergency Management Plan.
“Staff at Dalbrae Academy were made aware of an on-line threat to the school, the school was locked down and RCMP officers from the Inverness detachment responded and arrested a 15-year-old male youth in relation to this incident,” Clarke said in an October 24 media release. “No one was hurt as a result of this incident and the RCMP is continuing its investigation.”
Deanna Gillis, coordinator of communications for the Strait Regional Centre for Education told The Reporter in an e-mailed statement on October 30, RCMP officers worked with school staff and determined that there was no risk to students, staff, or the public’s safety and the lockdown was lifted at 12:50 p.m., at which time the normal school routine resumed.
“The safety of students and staff is of utmost importance and we will continue to ensure that our students and staff are in a safe and secure learning environment.”
Gillis said this incident is being taken very seriously by Dalbrae Academy, the RCMP and the Strait Regional Centre for Education.
“This incident is also under investigation by the school administration and the school is dealing with the incident as a disciplinary issue in accordance with the Provincial School Code of Conduct Policy,” she said. “In addition to communicating with parents/guardians via e-mail, text and voice message during the incident, the school administration followed up with a letter to students and parents/guardians as a follow up to the day’s incident.”