THUNDER BAY - The second individual accused for making numerous unsubstantiated threats against Hammarskjold High School that disrupted the school year in 2019 and left a lasting impact on students, staff, and the community has been sentenced after pleading guilty to the charge of public mischief.
Emilie Jade Pakrashi, 20, appeared via video in a Thunder Bay Courtroom on Wednesday before Justice Danalyn MacKinnon where she pleaded guilty to the charge of public mischief and was handed a three-month conditional sentence to be served in her home and followed by 18 months probation.
Conditions include abstaining from possessing or consuming alcohol or drugs, a curfew to remain inside her home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. with exceptions for medical emergencies, employment, or education opportunities, not having any contact with administration or staff at Hammarskjold High School, and attend assessment treatment including cognitative behavioural therapy.
The charge dates back to 2019 when Hammarskjold High School received more than 40 reports of threats against the school, which included violence toward students and staff, shootings, and explosives being in the building. The threats were determined to be unsubstantiated by police but did result in the closure of the school 12 times throughout the academic year.
Pakrashi was one of two individuals charged in relation to the threats. A youth, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, also pleaded guilty to a charge of public mischief in July 2021 and was sentenced to 12 months probation.
According to an agreed statement of facts, the threats were sent anonymously through Crime Stoppers. During an investigation into several threats made in April 2019, police were able to link tips submitted to Crime Stoppers to a device ID using a public wi-fi network at a local restaurant on four separate occasions.
Pakrashi was linked to the threats and upon her arrest on April 17, 2019, a cell phone was seized and found to be connected to the device ID identified using the public wi-fi. It was also determined that another threat made on April 16, 2019 was linked to an IP address at the home of the Pakrashi.
Pakrashi admitted to police following her arrest to making the threats against the school in April and February.
The Lakehead Public School Board reported a financial impact of $82,267 due to the threats, while the Thunder Bay Police Service estimated the cost of investigating the incidents to be more than $270,000.
Crown attorney, Afton Brown, and defense counsel, Kate Brindley, presented a joint submission for sentencing.
Expressions of remorse
During her submission, Brindley said Pakrashi’s actions in 2019 do not reflect the person she is, both then and now.
“It’s clear that people who know Ms. Pakrashi can’t understand how she could have done this. It is very incongruous with her character,” she said. “Ms. Pakrashi has expressed deep remorse and regret for her actions and has shown insight into the gravity of her actions.”
According to Brindley, Pakrashi underwent a psychological evaluation following her arrest, which did not find any major mental illness or symptoms, however, it was noted that Pakrashi suffered a concussion in the fall of 2018 resulting in headaches, stress, and anxiety, making it difficult to concentrate and keep up with her school work.
“She became intensely frustrated and ultimately rather desperate,” Brindley said. “It was in this context that these false reports were made. The assessment is very helpful in understanding the events but more importantly the state of mind and the impairment arising from the concussion.”
Brindley also told the court that since her arrest, Pakrashi has completed more than 100 hours of community service through volunteering, has completed her high school education in 2019 through distant education, obtained full-time employment, and will be attending post-secondary education in January.
Pakrashi has also been under strict conditions since her arrest, including limited internet access, which Brindley said she has followed for two-and-a-half years.
Lasting impact of threats
Brown acknowledged Pakrashi’s commitment to serving the community and adhering to all bail conditions, saying she is not a lost cause and should not be viewed so in the eyes of the court because she has strong prospects for rehabilitation.
However, Brown also pointed out the negative and lasting impact Pakrashi’s actions had on students, staff, and the community at large.
“It’s obvious that the impact on the students and the teachers and parents of students who attended Hammarskjold High School and the broader community at large, the impact is significant in more than one way,” she said.
Four victim impact statements were presented to the court from school staff and students.
One student recalled hearing an announcement about the school being placed in lockdown because of a bomb threat and being forced to remain in the girl’s locker room shower stall in the dark for what she said felt like hours.
“I don’t think I have ever been more scared for my safety than in that moment,” the student said. “The fear and uncertainty was unimageable.”
Another student detailed the anxiety and fear resulting from the threats, as well as a lack of motivation to attend school due to the cancellations and becoming distant with family and friends.
“You are supposed to have fun at school, not be constantly scared for your life,” the student said.
Another aggravating factor Brown highlighted to the court was the fact that the threats were made repeatedly and required planning, including Pakrashi using public wi-fi and an older phone to hide her identity.
“She used tactics to disguise her involvement in the matter, which shows an awareness of the wrongfulness of her behaviour and a continuance in that fashion is aggravating,” Brown said.
When given the opportunity to address the court, Pakrashi apologized for her actions, adding that she knows it does not fix or change what had happened.
“All I want is the opportunity to prove to people that I can be a valuable member of society and that this event that occurred is not in my nature,” she said.
Joint submission accepted
Justice MacKinnon said the repeated threats made against a school is a very serious matter and referred to the victim impact statements that reflect the ongoing anxiety, distress, and fear they caused.
“These statements show us that it has a very deep impact on students who were going to school, not only at Hammarskjold but across the community,” she said.
“It caused a lot of struggle and confusion. It affected the mental health and physical health of a lot of students and a loss of motivation and belief to go to school for some students. It had a very serious impact and I don’t want to diminish that at all in my comments today.”
Justice MacKinnon agreed with the Crown that the repeated actions and planning of Pakrashi is an aggravating factor in the case.
“It was almost like a campaign of creating chaos and, if I can put it this way, terror in the public school system,” she said. “That planning and the action you had to take on each of these occasions is an aggravating factor.”
But Justice MacKinnon also acknowledged Pakrashi’s actions since her arrest, her plea of guilt, and her expressed remorse as mitigating factors.
Ultimately Justice MacKinnon agreed with the joint submission on the part of the Crown and defense counsel, saying Pakrashi would not benefit from serving time in custody and has demonstrated a desire to change.
“One of the hardest things is to forgive yourself,” Justice MacKinnon told Pakrashi. “When you are a young person, you make mistakes. The most important thing is to learn why those mistakes happen, that you forgive yourself, and move on to be the person you can be.”
The 18 month probation order will include conditions of keeping the peace and being of good behaviour, no contact with Hammarskjold administration and staff, and attend assessment treatment.
Pakrashi will also have three months to pay a victim fine surcharge fee.
