1999 W. R. Myers High School shooting

School shooting in Alberta, Canada W.R. Myers High School shooting Taber, Alberta, Canada April 28, 1999 11:30–12:45 School shooting 1 1 Todd Cameron Smith Cheyno Finnie Sawed off .22-caliber Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic rifle Bullying On April 28, 1999, 14-year-old Todd Cameron Smith opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle at W. R. Myers High School in Taber, Alberta, Canada, killing one student and injuring another. Smith, a school dropout, was wrestled to the ground by a gym coach at the school. After being taken to the ground, Smith was taken into custody by a school resource officer. It was the first fatal high school shooting in Canada since the St. Pius X High School shooting 24 years earlier. Smith was tried as a juvenile, and in November 2000, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to three years in a youth detention center. Shooting The incident began when Smith entered the school campus armed with a .22-caliber Ruger 10/22 semi-automatic rifle and 375 rounds of ammunition (350 rounds of live ammunition in his coat pocket and 25 rounds loaded into the rifle).March 2021 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 one other student. Gym coach Cheyno Finnie managed to wrestle Smith to the ground. He was arrested without further incident by a Taber constable, who also served as the school's resource officer.Bill Graveland https://www.thestar.com/calgary/2019/04/28/total-blackness-remembering-alberta-school-shooting-20-years-later.html 'Total blackness,' Remembering Taber school shooting 20 years later Toronto Star April 28, 2019 May 8, 2023 Smith was charged with one count of first-degree murder, and two counts of attempted murder.https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/taber-killer-escapes-in-toronto/article25678309/#:~:text=Mr.%20Smith%20was%20convicted%20of%20first-degree%20murder%20and,still%20posed%20a%20%22significant%20risk%22%20to%20the%20public. Taber killer escapes in Toronto The Globe and Mail August 15, 2005 May 8, 2023 Aftermath Legal proceedings Smith's identity and background were originally protected under Canada's Young Offenders Act at the time of his arrest. He had dropped out of W.R. Myers High School earlier in the school year. According to court documents, he had suffered severe bullying throughout his school years, including having been doused with lighter fluid and threatened to be set alight when he was in the first grade.November 18, 2000 Boy charged in Taber shooting gets three years https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/boy-charged-in-taber-shooting-gets-three-years-1.227459 CBC News Online October 17, 2008 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.http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/taber/ CBC in Depth: Tragedy in Taber April 27, 2004 October 17, 2008 CBC News Online Smith's family stated that he "snapped" after watching coverage of the Columbine High School 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 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 before the 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 could not stand trial.https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/teen-s-illness-postpones-taber-trial-1.199569 Teen's illness postpones Taber trial January 5, 2000 October 17, 2008 CBC News Online Following a "remarkable recovery", he was declared suitable to stand trial, and was scheduled to appear in court in September 2000.https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/taber-suspect-fit-to-stand-trial-1.203753 Taber suspect fit to stand trial November 11, 2000 October 17, 2008 CBC News Online 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 release. Smith's release, second arrest 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 out of the halfway house, leaving behind a note reading, "I can't be caged any more. If they find me, they'll have to kill me. I will never be caged again. Bye. Sorry."Rob Shaw Katherine Harding https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/taber-school-killer-flees-halfway-house/article18244847/ Taber school killer flees halfway house The Globe and Mail August 16, 2005 May 8, 2023 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 arrested without incident. The waiver allowing the publication of his identity in Canada lapsed upon his recapture, though not before his name was published and 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 done the previous day.July 2026 See also Killer Kids, season one episode "School Killers", which included a segment about this school shooting. References 49 47 27 N 112 08 32 W type:event_region:CA-AB title Category:1999 crimes in Canada Category:1999 in Alberta Category:1990s murders in Canada Category:1999 murders in North America Category:April 1999 crimes Category:April 1999 in Canada Category:Deaths by firearm in Alberta Category:High school killings Category:High school shootings Category:Murder in Alberta Category:School killings in Canada Category:School shootings committed by pupils Category:School shootings in Canada Category:Taber, Alberta Category:Columbine High School massacre copycat crimes Category:Attacks on schools in 1999 Category:School shootings motivated by bullying Category:History of education in Alberta Category:Mass shootings in Alberta Category:Mass shootings involving rimfire rifles Category:Mass shootings in schools