No credible threat to Campbell River schools after teen posts picture with gun: RCMP

An RCMP vehicle is pictured on July 3, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Callum Smith)

Mounties in Campbell River, B.C., say they have found “no credible threat” to staff or students at schools in the community after a series of online threats and rumours on social media over the weekend.

The Campbel River RCMP says officers were made aware Sunday of a series of online threats between a group of youths, which escalated to one of them posting a picture of himself with a gun and “threatening others who had threatened a friend.”

The weapon, which turned out to be a BB gun, was seized by police.

“Due to heavy prevalence of social media in the community, an argument between a small group took off like wildfire with rumours of heavy police presence at one of the schools on the night of March 1, 2026, and rumours of school shootings at both Carihi and Timberline High School,” police wrote in a statement Monday.

In a statement, School District 72 said the information “originated from outside our community” and “did not involve a local student.”

Police confirmed there was no credible threat to secondary schools in the area.

The district asked families to “avoid spreading rumours, as they can cause unnecessary concern.”

Mounties gave a similar warning, acknowledging the fear online threats cause especially in the wake of the Tumbler Ridge tragedy.

“However, it is also important to receive information from credible sources and although they are extremely quick at spreading information, local ‘Rant and Rave’ pages and Snapchat groups leave a lot to be desired when it comes to information credibility,” the police statement reads.

The RCMP asked anyone who comes across an online threat to call police and report the social media account associated.