W. R. Myers High School shooting
Encyclopedia
The W. R. Myers High School shooting was a school shooting that occurred on April 28, 1999, at W. R. Myers High School
in Taber, Alberta
, Canada. The gunman, 14-year-old Todd Cameron Smith, walked into his school and began firing at three students in a hallway, killing one student and wounding another student. This shooting took place only eight days after the Columbine High School Massacre
in Littleton, Colorado
, and is widely believed to have been a copycat crime
. It was the first fatal high-school shooting in Canada in more than two decades.
The incident began when Smith entered the school campus armed with a registered sawed off .22-calibre rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. As lunch concluded, he fired at three students in a hallway adjacent to the cafeteria. He fatally shot 17-year-old Jason Lang at point-blank range
, and then shot at two other students, seriously wounding one, and missing the other. Gym coach Cheyno Finnie managed to wrestle Smith to the floor. He was arrested without further incident by a Taber constable
, who also served as the school's resource officer. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder, and two counts of attempted murder.
Smith's identity and background was originally protected under Canada's Young Offenders Act
at the time of his arrest. He had recently dropped out of W.R. Myers High School earlier in the school year. According to court documents, he had suffered severe bullying
at school, including having being doused with lighter fluid and threatened to be set alight when he was in the first grade. He was remembered as being intelligent but socially awkward, and had become "reclusive and extremely fearful" by early adolescence. His mother said he had been showing signs of depression
throughout his childhood. Smith's family stated that he "snapped" after watching coverage of the Columbine massacre, which had occurred eight days prior.
Crown prosecutors attempted to have then 15-year-old Smith tried as an adult with the potential for a life sentence
with the possibility of parole in five years. The Crown also argued that an adult prison would offer greater educational programs than a youth facility could provide. The court denied the motion and he was tried as a juvenile.
Following his arrest and prior to trial, a medical examination discovered Smith had a heart ailment that required open heart surgery
. During the surgery, he suffered a stroke
and fell into a coma
. After awakening from the coma, he had speaking and eating difficulties and suffered from diminished mental capacity. His case was suspended until he recovered, as both the Crown and defense agreed he was unable to stand trial. Following a "remarkable recovery", he was declared suitable to stand trial, and was scheduled to appear in court in September 2000. At his trial, Smith pleaded guilty to all three charges, and was sentenced to three years in prison, and was ordered to live seven years on probation
upon his release.
Shortly after the shooting, Reverend Dale Lang, father of victim Jason Lang, immediately forgave his son's killer. Dale Lang preaches the need for compassion and forgiveness, and has become a well-known public speaker and anti-bullying activist.
In March 2005, Todd Cameron Smith was released into a halfway house
in Toronto, despite the agreement of the judge that the then 20-year-old remained a threat to society. In August of that year, he walked outside of the halfway house, leaving behind a note stating, "he wouldn't be caged any longer and he wouldn't surrender alive." His escape prompted Toronto police to obtain a court injunction allowing them to publicize his identity until such time as he was caught. However, Smith turned himself in to authorities the following day and was recaptured without incident. The waiver allowing publication of his identity in Canada lapsed upon his recapture, though not before his name was published or released by several news outlets across the country. Following his recapture, Canadian media were required to no longer use Smith's name or photograph, as they had the previous day.
W. R. Myers High School
W. R. Myers High School is located in Taber, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1950, it is the town's only public high school. Students at W.R. Myers range from grade 9 to grade 12. Taber's middle school, D.A. Ferguson, shares a Cafeteria and a band room with W.R. Myers. The school has about 480...
in Taber, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada. The gunman, 14-year-old Todd Cameron Smith, walked into his school and began firing at three students in a hallway, killing one student and wounding another student. This shooting took place only eight days after the Columbine High School Massacre
Columbine High School massacre
The Columbine High School massacre occurred on Tuesday, April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Columbine, an unincorporated area of Jefferson County, Colorado, United States, near Denver and Littleton. Two senior students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, embarked on a massacre, killing 12...
in Littleton, Colorado
Littleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
, and is widely believed to have been a copycat crime
Copycat crimes
A copycat crime is a criminal act that is modelled or inspired by a previous crime that has been reported in the media or described in fiction.-Copycat effect:...
. It was the first fatal high-school shooting in Canada in more than two decades.
The incident began when Smith entered the school campus armed with a registered sawed off .22-calibre rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. As lunch concluded, he fired at three students in a hallway adjacent to the cafeteria. He fatally shot 17-year-old Jason Lang at point-blank range
Point-blank range
In external ballistics, point-blank range is the distance between a firearm and a target of a given size such that the bullet in flight is expected to strike the target without adjusting the elevation of the firearm. The point-blank range will vary with the firearm and its particular ballistic...
, and then shot at two other students, seriously wounding one, and missing the other. Gym coach Cheyno Finnie managed to wrestle Smith to the floor. He was arrested without further incident by a Taber constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
, who also served as the school's resource officer. He was charged with one count of first-degree murder, and two counts of attempted murder.
Smith's identity and background was originally protected under Canada's Young Offenders Act
Young Offenders Act
The Young Offenders Act was an act of the Parliament of Canada, granted Royal Assent in 1984, that regulated the criminal prosecution of Canadian youths...
at the time of his arrest. He had recently dropped out of W.R. Myers High School earlier in the school year. According to court documents, he had suffered severe bullying
School bullying
School bullying is a type of bullying that occurs in connection with education, either inside or outside of school. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or emotional and is usually repeated over a period of time.In schools, bullying occurs in all areas...
at school, including having being doused with lighter fluid and threatened to be set alight when he was in the first grade. He was remembered as being intelligent but socially awkward, and had become "reclusive and extremely fearful" by early adolescence. His mother said he had been showing signs of depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
throughout his childhood. Smith's family stated that he "snapped" after watching coverage of the Columbine massacre, which had occurred eight days prior.
Crown prosecutors attempted to have then 15-year-old Smith tried as an adult with the potential for a life sentence
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
with the possibility of parole in five years. The Crown also argued that an adult prison would offer greater educational programs than a youth facility could provide. The court denied the motion and he was tried as a juvenile.
Following his arrest and prior to trial, a medical examination discovered Smith had a heart ailment that required open heart surgery
Open Heart Surgery
Open Heart Surgery was released on August 8, 2000 by rock band Virginwool. The band signed to Breaking/Atlantic Records after initially beginning signed to Universal Records. The album was produced and mixed by Brad Wood....
. During the surgery, he suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
and fell into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. After awakening from the coma, he had speaking and eating difficulties and suffered from diminished mental capacity. His case was suspended until he recovered, as both the Crown and defense agreed he was unable to stand trial. Following a "remarkable recovery", he was declared suitable to stand trial, and was scheduled to appear in court in September 2000. At his trial, Smith pleaded guilty to all three charges, and was sentenced to three years in prison, and was ordered to live seven years on probation
Probation
Probation literally means testing of behaviour or abilities. In a legal sense, an offender on probation is ordered to follow certain conditions set forth by the court, often under the supervision of a probation officer...
upon his release.
Shortly after the shooting, Reverend Dale Lang, father of victim Jason Lang, immediately forgave his son's killer. Dale Lang preaches the need for compassion and forgiveness, and has become a well-known public speaker and anti-bullying activist.
In March 2005, Todd Cameron Smith was released into a halfway house
Halfway house
The purpose of a halfway house, also called a recovery house or sober house, is generally to allow people to begin the process of reintegration with society, while still providing monitoring and support; this is generally believed to reduce the risk of recidivism or relapse when compared to a...
in Toronto, despite the agreement of the judge that the then 20-year-old remained a threat to society. In August of that year, he walked outside of the halfway house, leaving behind a note stating, "he wouldn't be caged any longer and he wouldn't surrender alive." His escape prompted Toronto police to obtain a court injunction allowing them to publicize his identity until such time as he was caught. However, Smith turned himself in to authorities the following day and was recaptured without incident. The waiver allowing publication of his identity in Canada lapsed upon his recapture, though not before his name was published or released by several news outlets across the country. Following his recapture, Canadian media were required to no longer use Smith's name or photograph, as they had the previous day.