Sexsmith, Alberta. Wikimedia Commons. CC License
SEXSMITH, Alta. — A 13-year-old boy has been charged after RCMP investigated what police describe as threats of firearm-related violence directed at a school in Sexsmith.
Sexsmith, a community of about 3,000 people located roughly 700 kilometres northwest of Fort McMurray near Grande Prairie, was the focus of a police investigation after RCMP received a complaint about alleged threats involving students.
Clairmont RCMP say officers received the complaint around 11:30 p.m. on June 4 alleging a student had made threats involving violence against other students.
Police launched an investigation and interviewed numerous students in an effort to identify a suspect.
RCMP say a youth was identified, interviewed and arrested. Officers also seized a firearm from the suspect’s residence.
A 13-year-old male has been charged with uttering threats.
Because the accused is a youth, his identity cannot be released under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Police say the accused appeared before a justice of the peace and was remanded into custody.
He is scheduled to appear in Alberta Youth Court in Grande Prairie on June 10.
Staff Sgt. Matthew Short, commander of the Clairmont RCMP detachment, said officers treated the complaint seriously and worked closely with the school during the investigation.
Short also thanked members of the public who came forward with information.
Police have not released details about the nature of the alleged threats or the type of firearm seized.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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