Alberta youth convicted after using Roblox to roleplay school shootings
Posted June 11, 2026 11:19 am.
Last Updated June 11, 2026 11:24 am.
An Alberta youth was convicted in a violent extremism case this spring.
RCMP Federal Policing say the young person was using Roblox to roleplay school shootings, and they created games where players took on the role of a gunman.
Police say the youth was getting advice from an online user on Discord to create those game modes.
“The investigation also revealed the youth was in possession of materials promoting hateful rhetoric and documentation detailing a desire to carry out a mass casualty event,” according to RCMP Federal Policing’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET).
In March, the youth was sentenced to a 19.5-month probation with 27 conditions and a two-year discretionary weapons prohibition.
“Gone are the days when risk existed only in one physical location or solely in the ‘real world,’” said Supt. Matt Johnson, officer in charge of the northwest region’s national security teams. “Today, the threat extends just as dangerously into cyberspace, where online activity can rapidly spill into real-world harm. These groups cast a wide net across both environments, and anyone can become a target.
“That reality led us to a concerning investigation where activity in the online space crossed a critical line into credible threats and tangible harm, prompting law enforcement to act.”
Authorities say it’s all part of a concerning pattern across Canada of online extremism targeting youth.
Since last May, two Saskatchewan youth were convicted for online threats connected to violent extremism. And in Alberta, there were two separate cases where young people were charged with terrorism-related crimes.
The RCMP are telling parents to be aware if their kids are spending more time alone on the internet and are showing an interest in extremist messaging. They say having open conversations can reduce feelings of shame for youngsters who are targeted by violent online groups.
