Edmonton — Three teenagers in Scotland have been charged and charges are pending against another teen in England after a series of shooting and bomb threats made against schools in five countries earlier this year, including some in Alberta.
On Feb. 11, multiple schools in Edmonton received phone calls threatening either a bomb or impending attack by an armed suspect.
Police say the calls were made by an online calling app, and the caller had a Scottish or English accent.
The schools initiated heightened security procedures until it became evident that the calls were a hoax.
Similar calls were also reported in Calgary and a school in Texas. Nine schools and a bank in Edmonton, as well as five schools in Calgary received hoax calls on Feb. 11, 12 and 20.
After the calls were traced back to the UK, investigators learned that they were linked to 80 similar hoax calls made in the Netherlands, England, Scotland and the United States.
Three Scottish teens between the ages of 15 and 17 are facing multiple charges under Scottish law in connection with the calls.
“The amount of school and police resources these calls take up, not to mention the distress they cause to children, teachers and parents, is unacceptable,” said Det. Philip Hawkins of the Edmonton Police Service Cyber Crime Investigations Unit. “We left no stone unturned in this lengthy investigation, even across international borders, and three suspects are now facing charges in their home country.”
The calls resulted in the deployment of 47 Edmonton police vehicles, and impacted more than 4,000 Edmonton students.
"The threats made against numerous schools in our Division in February impacted many staff and students," an Edmonton Public Schools spokesperson told CTV News Edmonton in a written statement. "Safety in our schools is always our top priority, and these incidents were disruptive and unsettling for both our students and our staff. We thank the Edmonton Police Service for their swift response to the threats and for the diligent investigation work that has lead to charges laid."
