Teen arrested after allegedly threatening "an act of violence" against West Van schools on social media

A teen has been arrested and criminal charges are being recommended in connection with social media posts that police say “threatened the safety of local schools” in West Vancouver.

Const. Nicole Braithwaite said police received information on Monday morning from several parents and teens in West Vancouver about social media post that had been circulating overnight on several platforms “threatening an act of violence towards two West Vancouver schools.”

West Vancouver Secondary and Hollyburn Elementary were the two schools threatened, according to the school district.

Braithwaite did not give any information about the nature of the threat, except to say “it was targeted and it was a very direct threat on two schools.” She said the threat was general rather than aimed at specific people.

Officers “took immediate action” and notified West Vancouver school district officials, said Braithwaite.

“A thorough investigation was conducted and a suspect was quickly identified,” she said. The teen was taken into custody and later released under strict conditions.

Braithwaite said police conducted a risk assessment and concluded that the youth had no means to carry out the threats.

Criminal charges of uttering threats are being recommended.

“We take all threats to schools very seriously,” said Braithwaite. “Public safety and the safety of staff and students is vital to us.”

“I think for anyone seeing a threat like this on schools that their children may go to it can obviously be troubling for them,” said Braithwaite. “That's why we take threats to schools very seriously.”

Braithwaite said given the conditions of the student’s release, “there is no ongoing threat to the safety of West Vancouver School District students and staff. We want to reassure parents and their children that it is safe for students to go to school after spring break.”

In a statement, Sean Nosek, associate superintendent for West Vancouver School District, said the school district is confident "appropriate steps have been taken to ensure the return to school after spring break is business as usual."

It isn't the first time West Vancouver schools have been targeted by threats in a social media post. In September 2019 a message threatening Rockridge Secondary was posted on Snapchat by a student. In that case, police were also called to investigate and determined that the threat was not credible. The student was also suspended from attending the high school.