Bullied boy hit back, court told

For two years, he was bullied, physically and verbally, by other kids at school.

He had been battling with depression and anxiety and was receiving psychological help from The Hospital for Sick Children. But, he reached his breaking point.

It's not that he wanted to kill anyone, he told police. He just wanted to scare them like they scared him.

This was the picture Crown attorney Barboura Ferns painted in a Jarvis St. youth courtroom yesterday while a 12-year-old boy accused of pointing a gun at his teacher sat in the prisoner's box.

Cops were called to Runnymede Junior and Senior Public School on Runnymede Rd., north of Bloor St., around 10 a.m. Thursday.

BAYONET

About 10 minutes after class had started, a boy walked into his Grade 7 classroom, apologized for interrupting and told the class not to panic, Ferns alleged.

A bayonet with a 25-cm, double-edged blade was pulled out, waved around and pointed at the teacher and students. The teacher pleaded for the boy to put down the weapon while another kid said, "Come on man, do it."

The comment was relayed to police by the accused, so it wasn't clear whether it was meant to egg him on or encourage him to drop the weapon.

"Shut up," Ferns alleged the boy said.

The bayonet was placed on a desk. Then a gun was pulled out -- a .32 calibre revolver with a plugged barrel and welded trigger. It was inoperable.

Again, the teacher pleaded with him to put down the weapon, and he did, before he walked into the hallway and began to cry, Ferns said.

A pipe wrench, firecrackers, boxcutter and folding knife the boy allegedly brought in a box weren't pulled out.

He was charged with two counts of weapons dangerous, possession of a prohibited weapon, unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless storage of a firearm and pointing a firearm.

The baby-faced boy with blond hair and rosy cheeks sat quietly yesterday while the allegations against him were read out.

He was granted bail on conditions that included staying away from the school and his teacher and continuing to receive counselling under his parents' direction.

"We're just upset and distraught," was all his father could say.

PROGRAMS IN PLACE

Runnymede principal Amelia Dennis assured that her school has several anti-bullying initiatives in place, including programs run by police liaison officers, social workers and guidance counsellors.

"Obviously, we can only act on what is being shared with us," Dennis said. "I really can't give a blanket statement on how each (bullying) case is being dealt with, but we do have a procedure in place."

Local trustee Irene Atkinson refused to comment.

"The situation ... raises a lot of questions again and it's always good to review procedures and to see what else can be done," superintendent Manon Gardner said.

"We will be debriefing again, certainly on Monday, and then most likely weekly to say, okay, what else can be done, what else can we put in place?"