Jacob Hespeler student charged in school shooting threat case

First arrest after a string of graffiti messages disrupt high schools

WATERLOO REGION — Police have made headway in probing school shooting threats, charging a female student for threatening a shooting at Jacob Hespeler Secondary School, which she attends.

It’s the first arrest in the wake of a string of graffiti threats that led some students to stay away after violence was threatened at five other high schools.

“It shows how seriously our investigators are taking these incidents,” said Cherri Greeno, spokesperson for Waterloo Regional Police.

“There are serious consequences as you see in this incident where the person is charged with two very serious crimes.”

The threat against Jacob Hespeler was discovered Monday on a storage unit near the football field. The graffiti said: “School shooting April 6th.”

Shared on social media, it made its way to parents who then contacted the school. It follows a threatened school shooting at Grand River Collegiate Institute that emptied some classrooms of students Tuesday.

There was no shooting at Grand River. Four other high schools were previously targeted by graffiti threats. No school has seen a shooting.

The student charged at Jacob Hespeler is younger than 18 and can’t be named under young offender legislation.

Charges include mischief and uttering threats to cause bodily harm or death.

She may also face suspension or expulsion, the Waterloo Region District School Board said.

“We take any intimidation or threat of violence seriously, and the authors of these threats need to understand that they will be held accountable,” the board said in a statement.

The school board thanked police and said it is “very optimistic that other persons responsible for similar threats toward our other schools will soon be apprehended.”