Ontario Teen Facing Charges Following FBI-, Interpol-Assisted Investigation Into Potential School Attack

A file photo of children arriving at a school in Milton, Ont., on Nov. 4, 2022. The Canadian Press/Nick Iwanyshyn

Thunder Bay police have arrested a 13-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ont., following an investigation into online threats of a potential school attack.

The Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) says its hate crime investigator began an investigation on Oct. 6 into possible online communication that potentially involved a threat to the public in Thunder Bay and another country. TBPS was assisted in the investigation by the FBI, Interpol, and the RCMP, the police force said in an Oct. 15 news release.

The investigation determined the 13-year-old in Thunder Bay was communicating online with another person believed to be in another country to conspire and help each other regarding a potential school attack, police say.

“It is believed attempts would have been carried out in the near future,” TBPS said in the release.

TBPS members in the police force’s Cyber Crime Unit, the Operational Support Branch including school resource officers, as well as the Criminal Investigations Branch carried out search warrants at two local addresses on Oct. 14, police say.

The youth is facing charges for conspiring to commit murder and counseling to commit an offence that is not committed. The 13-year-old cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Police say the youth appeared in court on Oct. 14 and was taken into custody.

TBPS did not say whether the individual believed to be in another country was facing charges.

Online Manipulation

TBPS says youth can be manipulated online by predators, extremists, or criminals who exploit vulnerabilities like isolation or curiosity. This can lead to youth committing offences ranging from minor crimes to offences such as school shootings or hate crimes, the police force noted in the release.

Police cybercrime units in Ontario monitor these activities under the Criminal Code and Youth Criminal Justice Act, TBPS added.

“Grooming often involves gaining trust, normalizing crime, and escalating involvement—usually via private chats or online groups,” TBPS said.

The police force suggests parents use tools, such as parental control software and website blockers like Net Nanny, to monitor youth’s online activity. Police also advise parents to talk to youth about online risks, and report suspicious behaviour to police early, noting “timely action can prevent harm.”