Nova ScotiaA Halifax teen who was accused of making threats against his high school has been sentenced to four months of deferred custody and 18 months of probation for weapons-related offences. Probation conditions include staying away from Citadel High School and reporting internet browser historyJosh Hoffman · CBC News · Posted: Dec 03, 2025 5:18 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Citadel High student who made threats sentencedThe teenager who told a suicide hotline that he planned to shoot up his school before taking his own life has been sentenced for weapons-related offences. The judge in the case said the sentencing must have an emphasis on rehabilitating the teen and protecting public safety over the long term. The CBC’s Josh Hoffman has the story.A Halifax teen who was accused of making threats against his high school has been sentenced to four months of deferred custody and 18 months of probation for weapons-related offences.Judge Bronwyn Duffy delivered the sentence in Halifax youth court on Wednesday after the 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty to eight weapons-related charges earlier this year. A deferred custody and supervision order, which is similar to a conditional sentence for an adult, can be served in the community but comes with conditions such as a curfew. “I thought that the decision was entirely appropriate,” said Crown prosecutor Terry Nickerson, who initially called for six months of deferred custody in addition to the 1½ years of probation.The boy was arrested at his home in the early hours of April 23 after he sent texts to a suicide hotline operator about being depressed, suicidal and obsessed with school shootings. Crown prosecutor Terry Nickerson said he hasn’t seen a case like this in the 35 years he’s been a lawyer. (Grey Butler/CBC)At one point, the teen faced a total of 33 charges. Most of them were related to weapons offenses but the youth was also accused of making threats toward specific students and promoting hatred against racialized communities in online chat groups.The teen, whose identity is protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, ultimately pleaded guilty to six counts of unauthorized possession of a firearm, one count of careless storage of ammunition and one count of unauthorized possession of a weapon — brass knuckles. Duffy told the teen that he was being sentenced for the weapons-related offences but the overall circumstances surrounding his case influenced her decision. Suicide hotline exchangeDuring the sentencing hearing, the courtroom heard the teen told the hotline operator he was obsessed with school shootings.The teen was particularly interested in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado and told the operator he related to the shooters. He said he had become interested in neo-Nazi ideology and identified with the alt-right. The courtroom heard the teen had said during the exchange that he had planned to shoot up his school before taking his own life but had changed his mind within the past year. After nearly two hours, the operator called 911 and Halifax Regional Police dispatched a significant response to the teen’s home. In addition to weapons and ammunition, police found a suicide note, a list he’d compiled of people he wanted to kill, and racist materials targeting Black and Jewish people.The Crown withdrew the charges related to threats and promoting hatred after the teen pleaded guilty to some of the weapons-related charges.“If the Crown drops charges or withdraws charges subsequent to initial charging, it’s because of a systematic evaluation of the evidence and what can or can’t be proven,” Nickerson told reporters on Wednesday. Changing course from ‘sinister path’Defence lawyer Danielle O’Sullivan declined to speak to reporters after the decision Wednesday morning. O’Sullivan had proposed a conditional discharge for the boy, arguing deferred custody would be too excessive.The teen should have received enhanced credit for the 173 consecutive days he spent in custody following his arrest and the progress he has made since, his lawyer said. Defence attorney Danielle O’Sullivan told the courtroom her client initally reached out to the suicide hotline because he knew he needed help. (Grey Butler/CBC)But Duffy said during her decision the agreed statement of facts shows “extreme violence was contemplated” by the teen, which she took into consideration when coming up with the sentence. The teen will have to abide by a long list of conditions while on probation. He will not be allowed to go within 50 metres of Citadel High School, have direct contact with certain students, use several social media platforms or possess any weapons, and he’ll have to share his internet browsing history with court officials. While the teen had been on what Duffy called a “sinister path,” the judge told the courtroom he has shown signs of changing his course and has a bright future if he continues to receive treatment.The courtroom heard during the sentencing hearing the teen has kept up with his school work while in custody and taken courses about African Nova Scotian and Indigenous history. “You have promise,” Duffy told the teen in court. MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORJosh Hoffman is a reporter for CBC Nova Scotia. Josh worked as a local radio reporter all over Canada before moving to Nova Scotia in 2018.
Teen arrested for high school threat sentenced to 4 months of conditional supervision, 18 months of probation
