The police have been told to conduct further investigations into the violent threats made to the student body of the School of the Nations and the subsequent shooting of its principal outside his home in January.
Contacted for an update on Saturday, Crime Chief Lyndon Alves told Stabroek News that the case file in the matter was resent to the police some time ago with recommendations that more investigations be done.
Principal of School of the Nations, Dr Brian O’Toole was shot in an attack at his home on January 27th, hours after he had called a meeting to address threats that had surfaced the day before against the school’s student body.
The threats were made via Facebook and police and cybersecurity experts have been trying to locate the individual responsible.
To date, no one has been held for the attack on O’Toole or the threats to the school.
Several persons were detained for questioning but were subsequently released.
Reports previously circulated suggesting that the shooter was identified and apprehended in the United States. However, when approached on the veracity of the reports, Commissioner of Police Leslie James said he would have to check. The force has not since issued an update on the case.
The school was closed for several days after parents expressed their fears about security in light of the threats and the subsequent shooting of O’Toole. Prior to reopening, the school intensified its security and adopted an active shooter response plan.
Dissatisfied with the police investigation, parents had also staged a protest in front of the Ministry of Public Security’s Brickdam office, where they had announced that they would be offering a $1 million reward for any information that might lead to the arrest of the perpetrator/s.
Weeks after the shooting, O’Toole had express-ed concerns about the influence of video games on youth, while noting that the shooter performed a “bizarre dance” that appeared to be from online game Fortnite.
“When I was shot the attempted murderer did a bizarre dance. When relating this to some students I am close to they referred me to the dark video game, Fortnite. The dance on that evening looked as if it had been rehearsed from the very same video,” O’Toole had said in a post on the school’s Facebook page.
Fortnite is a video game in which players compete individually or as part of squads of up to four to be the last player standing.
