Online posts apparently written by the teen charged in connection with the stabbings at a Pickering, Ont., high school suggest the student may have been planning the attack.
Investigators do not believe any particular students or staff members were targeted in the stabbing rampage at Dunbarton High School on Tuesday morning.
However, social media posts suggest the school attack may have been premeditated. Posts on a social media account belonging to the 14-year-old girl, confirmed to CP24 through multiple sources, reference violence, watching the Luka Magnotta murder video, and a desire to commit a school shooting and stabbing.
One post suggested she was considering suicide, if she didn’t go through with the school stabbing. Another posting suggested the accused may have been a victim of bullying.
A note posted by the suspect on Tuesday appears to promise a school stabbing.
“We’re aware of some online activity of the student as are the police,” John Leger of the Durham District School Board. “I think, really, what’s important here is, as a school board, we really reach out to the victims in the situation.”
Legere also said the school board would offer support for the student.
On Wednesday, Durham Regional Police said the teen is facing 15 charges, including assault, possession of weapons dangerous, six counts of assault causing bodily harm and seven counts of assault with a weapon.
Police also said that a total of five students and two staff members at Dunbarton were injured in the stabbings, which occurred shortly after 8:30 a.m. The Durham District School Board initially said that six students and three staff members were injured in the stabbings.
The scene unfolded Tuesday, when the teen went to the school armed with two large knives and began attacking students in the hallways, Durham Regional Police said.
Two staff members were able to locate the girl and hold her down until police arrived.
Seven people were injured. Four of them were transported to hospital but none of their injuries are life-threatening, police said.
The suspect, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, cannot be identified. Police say the suspect is a Grade 9 student. Meanwhile, students who were on the premises at the time of the attack describe a terrifying scene.
“I sprinted for my life, I was so scared,” said one student. “And everyone else was sprinting too.”
Another witness said the student “came in swinging with two knives, and I just ran.”
Classes at Dunbarton resumed on Wednesday, but students say it will take time for things to return to normal.
“Just hoping everyone is okay who was injured and I hope we can return to a regular school year,” said one student.
“Our school is such a safe school…I’m just a little bit shaken up,” said another.
The accused made a court appearance in Oshawa on Wednesday. She will remain in custody at least until her next court appearance on March 1.
With files from CTV News’ John Vennavally-Rao and Scott Lightfoot
