Police suspect prank calls connected
Bomb threat at school and Javaroma shooting hoax possibly linked, say RCMP
Elaine Anselmi
Northern News Services
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
RCMP speculated before city council Monday that the man accused of calling in a false report of gunshots at the Northwestel building last month is also responsible for a bomb threat made at St. Patrick High School a week later.
The suspect, William Turner, 31, is a one-time policy adviser with the territorial government's Business Development Investment Corporation (BDIC) and member of the NWT Human Rights Commission. He was drummed out of both jobs after being accused of leaking confidential documents from the legislative assembly where Turner held a job as a part-time security guard.
The documents contained e-mails written by Range Lake MLA Daryl Dolynny the day after he won his seat in 2011 where he tried to convince BDIC representatives to drop a lawsuit naming him for $100,000 owed on a loan guarantee in exchange for information that could discredit Turner.
Turner, an aboriginal man originally from Ontario, was a one-time central figure in a lawsuit challenging the GNWT's affirmative action policy.
He has since left the city after being suspended by the BDIC and removed from the human rights commission by the legislative assembly.
Turner is reportedly in the country of Belize.
Turner was charged in absentia with mischief and making false messages Jan. 8 after reportedly calling in a shooting at the Northwestel building where the BDIC offices are located.
A bomb threat was made at St. Patrick and Weledeh schools Jan. 16. Both incidents drew a massive response by heavily-armed police.
An RCMP officer drew a connection between the two cases during Monday's committee meeting with city council.
"We had a bomb threat at one of our local schools. The emergency response team and general duty uniforms went," RCMP Cpl. Donnie Duplissea told city council during his RCMP monthly report on Monday.
"We have a charge against one gentleman. I can't say he's linked to this but I suspect it is the same person and he is up for a public mischief charge because he called in a shots-fired complaint at the Northwestel Building in December."
The schools were evacuated and blocked off, with some RCMP carrying assault rifles. Students were sent home and police continued to sweep for explosives after 4 p.m. that day.
Duplissea said authorities in Central America have been notified and spoken with Turner.
"The warrant will be extended through Canada because we aren't the only community he's doing this to," said Duplissea, referring to other undisclosed pranking incidents.
"We just hope he doesn't call in again but that's where we stand."
No charges have been laid in regard to the bomb threat, RCMP Const. Elenore Sturko told Yellowknifer on Monday.
