Crickets, dead fish and marbles: Why Montreal police are investigating a high school prank gone wrong

What started out as a harmless prank by graduating students at Lester B. Pearson High School has turned into a nightmare after a staff member was injured and the school was evacuated twice on Thursday.

“There were 500 crickets released in the school. There were dead fish thrown everywhere. Marbles were on the floor to make people trip,” said Alexander Grigoratos, a Grade 11 student at the school.

“Smoke bombs were released in the stairway and firecrackers were thrown everywhere.”

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Firefighters and police officers showed up to the high school in Montreal North after a staff member slipped on the mess and suffered a broken shoulder — now an investigation is underway.

Mike Cohen, a spokesperson for the English Montreal School Board, told Global News that this isn’t a regular occurrence.

“They were warned at the beginning of the year in April not to pull any pranks of any kind,” Cohen said.

READ MORE: Montreal police pranked by a car snow sculpture

No one has come forward and confessed to the prank so far, he added.

“Police are coming in,” he said. “That’s a serious matter.”

Investigators will also analyze videotape from the school, said Cohen.

“Hopefully we will be able identify some of the students involved.”

Police searching for suspects

Montreal police spokesperson Manuel Couture said they are examining the incident further but trying to keep an open mind as to who exactly the culprit is.

“It depends if it’s a school student,” Couture said. “Because it can be people from outside or ex-students. We don’t know exactly who are the suspects.”

Cohen said all 180 students in the graduating class of 2018 are already being penalized for the prank.

“Their grad breakfast has been cancelled and the prom may not happen,” he said.

“If students who perpetrated this event do not come forward, or are not found, there are going to be innocent people who are going to be collateral damage.”

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