WINNIPEG — A 12-year-old boy from St. Joseph, Manitoba is charged after making threats against a local school, while playing an online video game.
RCMP said they received information from the Wisconsin and New York police departments about a potential threat to a school in the area, on Feb. 19.
The boy was playing Call of Duty on Xbox, when he made a threat stating he was going to start a school shooting within 50 minutes according to Wisconsin police. Police said he did not mention which school.
Other players playing the game immediately reported the threats to their police departments.
“We received a call from a mother, whose son was playing online on Xbox,” Officer Bary Holm of the Onalaska Wisconsin Police Department said.
“The son was trying to talk him out of doing it. He was freaked out and very concerned.”
The Wisconsin police said they got in contact Microsoft (who makes Xbox), and within 40 minutes were able to get the information on where the user lived.
“There is a balance between privacy and getting the information we need. When it comes to something like this, the cost is very high. Microsoft was very open with the information” Holm said.
The player’s account belonged to a 12-year-old from St. Joseph, which is in south-eastern Manitoba.
RCMP said on Feb. 19, they “immediately attended the address of the player making the threats but were unable to locate him. All schools in the vicinity of the suspect’s residence were notified and patrolled by officers.”
LISTEN: Onalaska Wisconsin Police Department talk about investigating the online threat
That same day, the boy was found at his house and arrested without incident for uttering threats.
He did not have access to firearms, RCMP said. He was in custody over the weekend and is scheduled to appear in court on March 1.
“The public expects us to assume the threats are real and our officers responded accordingly until we were in a position to confirm otherwise.” said Sgt. Bert Paquet of the Manitoba RCMP.
RAW: Sgt. Bert Paquet of Manitoba RCMP said a 12-year-old-boy is charged with making a threat about a school shooting while playing an online video game
“The quick thinking and prompt actions of officers from several different sections in two different countries were key to successfully locating and apprehending the youth associated to the threats.”
The RCMP are reminding parents to monitor the online activities of their children by keeping video game consoles and computers in common areas, and to ensure children report any threats they may see online to police.