On Aug. 19, 2026, RCMP received reports that a Manning student had threatened to shoot students on the first day of school. Manning RCMP immediately began their investigation, took statements and identified the suspect. On Aug. 25, 2026, Manning RCMP executed a search warrant at a local residence and seized 7 firearms.

As a result of the investigation, a 16-year-old Manning resident will be charged with uttering threats, pending crown approval.

“We want the public to know that we take every threat to our children’s safety seriously” said Sgt. Gavin Ool, Detachment Commander of the Manning RCMP. “We immediately looped in our partners at the school as well as the Peace River School Division in order to assist us in the investigation as well as review security measures. We encourage members of the public to always report any threats to our children and allow us to fully investigate and prevent these disasters from happening”.

“The safety and well-being of our students and staff will always remain an unwavering priority for the Peace River School Division,” said Dr. Jeff Thompson, PRSD Superintendent of Schools. “We are grateful for the swift response from, and ongoing partnership with, Sgt. Ool and the Manning RCMP Detachment. Working together with our RCMP partners strengthens our ability to protect and support our school community”.