Fourth area high school targeted with graffiti threatening violence

KITCHENER — A fourth area high school has been the target of graffiti threatening violence.

And at a school threatened earlier, hundreds of students stayed away Wednesday.

The fourth school to be hit with violent threats is Eastwood Collegiate Institute in Kitchener.

The graffiti was found on the wall of the girl’s washroom on Wednesday. It read: “I’m going to blow up the school @ 10AM tomorrow.”

In a message on the school website, principal Ryan Hume said the threats are unacceptable and are being taken seriously, given recent school shootings in the United States.

The authors of these threats will be held accountable, he said.

Similar threats were made earlier at Huron Heights Secondary School, Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute and Glenview Park Secondary School in Cambridge.

The graffiti at Huron Heights warned of a school shooting on Wednesday.

School board officials said it was “business as usual” at the school on Wednesday. However, hundreds of students stayed home. Board officials refused to say exactly how many did not go to school.

“It is business as usual at Huron Heights Secondary School. Classes and activities are running as normal today and students are learning,” public school board spokesperson Kylie Penticost said in an email.

Waterloo Regional Police spokesperson Cherri Greeno said officers were at Huron Heights and Eastwood, as well as other schools to alleviate any fears.

“Whatever the intention and whether the actions are considered pranks, it’s not a joke to us, the schools or the community,” she said.

“It causes unnecessary fear and puts a significant drain on police resources.”

Greeno said officers will remain at Huron Heights on Thursday and other high schools in the region.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-5709777, ext. 4421, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.