18-year-old charged for threats after schools secured

Police have charged an 18-year-old with uttering threats after a social media message put four schools into secure the building mode.

On Tuesday at 11:20 a.m., police were called out to schools in north Regina in response to a social media message threatening three schools.

The threats prompted a secure the building protocol at four Regina schools including M.C. Archbishop O’Neil High School, St. Peter Elementary School, Thom Collegiate. Laval High School was added to the list as a precaution.

Police arrested and charged Kalin Honus Moate-Wagner with uttering threats and three counts of mischief. He made his first court appearance Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.

Chief Evan Bray said investigators have to take such threats seriously.

“It was obviously alarming enough to us that we did not want to take the risk that there was no validity to it,” Bray said.

And he added investigators have the difficult task of trying to determine whether someone is simply spouting off or whether a threat is even credible.

Bray admitted the use of social media is an increasing problem.

“We respond daily to social media messaging that is threatening or derogatory in nature but it doesn’t always result in a charge or a detailed investigation,” Bray said. “It’s the reality that we live in today.”

Classes continued normally Tuesday at the four schools, but the doors were locked and the main entrances were monitored as several police officers patrolled in the area.

Police say Seven Stones School was also put under secure the building mode briefly on Tuesday for a completely unrelated matter.