Online school shooting ‘joke’ leads international police to Ontario teen

An online “joke” that referenced a school shooting brought an international police organization to the doorstep of an Ontario teen this week with a stern warning.

Guelph Police said they were notified by Interpol, the world’s largest international police organization, late Monday afternoon that a teenage girl in the area had posted a story to online platform Snapchat that “referenced a school shooting.”

Police said what turned out to be an “ill-advised” online “joke” caught the eye of the international law enforcement agency, which is headquartered in France and counts police forces in 196 countries around the globe among its members.

Guelph Police said officers visited the teen’s home to deliver a strong message — to be careful what she posts online.

“Officers spoke to the teen in the presence of her mother and she was very remorseful and stated the comment was intended only as a joke,” police said in a news release on Tuesday.

“Residents are reminded to be careful what they post online as their words can be misinterpreted and cause concern in the wider community.”