Boy charged in Walmart fire also facing theft and threat charges

A 12-year-old boy seemed especially small as he walked into the prisoner box in a Regina courtroom on Thursday morning, there for his first appearance on what turned out to be a number of charges.

The boy was wearing a black T-shirt and only spoke when the judge spoke to him. He and his family waved at each other when the judge mentioned they were there.

The boy — who can’t be identified as per the Youth Criminal Justice Act — is being charged with arson in connection with the fire in the paper products section in the Walmart in north Regina on Tuesday evening. Police said there was significant damage done by the fire.

In addition to that charge, the judge read out four more charges against the boy.

He’s charged with allegedly stealing a minivan in mid-November, and is also charged with possession of that van as stolen property.

The boy is also facing charges that, at the end of October, he threatened to kill a person, and another charge that he threatened to shoot staff and students at Ruth Pawson Elementary School in north Regina.

The Crown prosecutor opposed the boy’s release into the community so he’ll be kept in custody until Tuesday when he’ll have a bail hearing.