Police arrest Cameron Heights student after threats are made in video on social media site

KITCHENER — A Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute student threatened to hurt students and teachers at his school in a live video posted on Instagram Wednesday night.

Waterloo Regional Police were contacted just after 9 p.m. when someone saw the alarming post on the social media site.

Police arrested the male student at a Kitchener residence early Thursday morning.

Police also seized two air guns and ammunition.

Investigating officer Det. Const. Ashley Dietrich said the student’s live video on Instagram had various comments from

viewers and the student had multiple followers.

“We are very fortunate that a resident notified us,” said Dietrich, who encourages students to report disturbing posts to their teachers and police.

The teenager is charged with uttering threats to cause bodily harm or death, weapons dangerous.

He was set to appear in a Kitchener courtroom on Thursday.

The threat comes on the heels of a mass shooting in South Florida in which 17 students and teachers were gunned down with a semi-automatic rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, faces 17 charges of premeditated murder.

Dietrich said there is nothing to suggest the video post is linked to the Florida school shooting.

“We don’t know what his intentions were,” she said.

Dietrich said the police’s school resource officer was at Cameron Thursday speaking to school administrators about the incident.

On Cameron’s website, principal Ray Teed praised police for their swift action in arresting the student.

Before the end of the day Thursday, Teed told the students about the incident over the PA system.

On the website, he said any threat of violence is taken seriously and there are consequences.

“Words and acts of violence or intimidation are never appropriate and even when said in jest are never funny. Actions or stunts like this will be met with severe consequences to ensure the safety of our school and our students,” he said.

“Our priority is to ensure that our schools remain safe places where students experience a caring learning environment that addresses their well-being,” he said.

Teed said anyone who needs assistance dealing with the situation can get help at the school or in the community.

Teed encouraged students to report “worrying” behaviour on social media to an adult immediately.

“You can confidentially report things that concern you to any teacher, administrator or local police without fearing that you will be identified,” he said.

Dietrich also reminded parents to monitor the social media activities of their children and “be aware of what children have in their bedrooms.”