'I was terrified': Calgary teen shot multiple times with pellet gun outside his high school

A teenage boy was shot multiple times with a pellet gun outside his Calgary high school and now another teen is charged.

The victim’s mother recalls how she first found out.

“I was terrified because all I got told was he got shot. I had no idea what happened,” she said.

Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, CTV News cannot identify the victim or the accused.

An altercation broke out between the boy and another teenage boy late last month near Jack James High School shortly after students were let out for the day.

The victim was taken to hospital to have the pellets removed, including from his head.

“Thank God they didn’t end up in areas that could’ve severely injured him,” the mother said.

Police have charged another teenage boy with assault with a weapon.

The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) is aware of the incident and says schools in the area are working with the students involved, their families and the school resource officer.

“Each situation that arises in a school community requires an appropriate level of response to ensure the safety and security of students and staff,” CBE said in a statement.

“School staff monitor situations closely and will take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of all students and staff.”

Another parent at the school, who asked not to be identified, is also worried about her child’s safety.

“It’s scary nowadays. We don’t know what’s going on at the schools and for children, we need to feel like they’re safe at school,” she said.

The victim was taken to hospital to have the pellets removed, including from his head.

NOT AN ISOLATED ATTACK

According to the Calgary Police Service, this attack isn’t isolated.

Police say there’s been an increase in reports of young people using or carrying pellet and replica guns in and around schools.

“The CPS works with schools and the Calgary school boards to provide advice and guidance to youth, and to ensure safe school environments,” police said in a statement.

On Tuesday afternoon, police responded to reports of a pellet gun being shot on a bus near the area of 66 Avenue and Dalcastle Way N.W.

In that incident, two young people were taken into custody, one young person was treated for minor injuries and three airsoft guns were recovered.

Kelly Sundberg, a criminologist at Mount Royal University, says parents also need to take responsibility.

“As a parent, we need to think about if I’m buying my kid an airsoft gun, what are they doing with it? And if they’re taking it to school and I don’t have rules around it, then that’s bad parenting,” he said.

“These are preventable but it could’ve been a tragedy.”

The victim’s mother agrees and wants to see more police and even metal detectors at schools.

“The children are the ones that are being put into jeopardy because there’s no way to protect them from weapons or anything like that,” she said.

“No parent should ever have to go through what I went through.”