Two residents from the Vancouver Island city of Port Alberni, a quiet fishing community nestled in the middle of a rain forest, were key to exposing two plots for school shootings in the past month, hundreds of kilometres away.
The RCMP were told of two plots in February - one in Washington and one in Texas, Staff-Sergeant Lee Omilusik said yesterday in an interview. The Port Alberni residents were not involved in the plots. They heard about the schemes and told local police, he said.
Last week, a 14-year old Port Alberni girl had a conversation with a 17-year old boy in Brewster, Wa., on the website Facebook. The young man wrote that he intended to go to his high school and shoot people. He said he had a date set, and had weapons.
Her parents found out about the Facebook exchange and contacted police, Staff-Sgt. Omilusik said. Port Alberni RCMP contacted police in Brewster, who arrested the boy. His name was not released.
The tip came three weeks after police were told about a plot for a school shooting in San Antonio, Tex. The second plot surfaced during an X-box live video game, in which six team members work together against another team.
During the game, a team member revealed plans to participate in a shooting the next day at his school. He said he was a failing senior at his high school and identified students he was targeting, Staff-Sgt. Omilusik stated in a news release. He also indicated his plan for the shooting.
A Port Alberni man in his twenties heard about the plot and told police. The San Antonio teen is before a Texas court. His name has also not been released.
Neither tipster was available for interviews yesterday.
Staff-Sgt. Omilusik said he had no explanation as to how Port Alberni residents were involved in exposing both plots. "We're trying to figure that out as well," he said. "I don't know."
The tips reflect how communities around the world are connected, he stated in a news release.