Manitoba boys face gun charges at schools

Two Manitoba boys are facing charges after RCMP responded to two separate gun incidents at two different schools in western Manitoba.

Manitoba RCMP said both incidents happened on Tuesday.

In the first, a teenager threatened to bring a gun to a school in Portage-la-Prairie. They were arrested, no firearms were found.

Police investigated and found that the suspect had assaulted and threatened two other children earlier in the day.

The 12-year-old boy is charged with assault with a weapon, assault and three counts of menacing.

In a second incident, another teenager reportedly threatened other students at a school in Alonza state, 125 kilometers north of the first incident.

Mounties found a 12-year-old boy in his home and arrested him.

He is accused of threatening.

The two incidents are not related, police said.

The two youths have been released from custody and have upcoming court dates.

None of the allegations have been tested in court.

“Whenever a school is threatened, we respond immediately and investigate thoroughly, as these situations are not taken lightly,” Lance Corporal Julie Courchaine with the Manitoba RCMP said in a press release.

“It's important that parents and carers sit down with their children and talk about the importance of making threats in person or online, as their actions can lead to criminal charges.”