How the St. Michael’s College School sex assault scandal unfolded

This timeline has been created using CityNews reporting and sources, Toronto police, and St. Michael’s College School officials.

Monday, Nov. 12

• St. Michael’s College School administration says it received a video Monday morning of an alleged assault that took place in a boy’s washroom in the school. The video, which has been viewed by CityNews, shows a teen in his underwear in a sink being splashed with water and slapped on the bare skin by several other boys.
• The school begins an internal investigation and contacts police.
• Police confirm receiving a call from the principal at St. Michael’s. “He was seeking advice about a hazing incident that he had learned about,” Insp. Dominic Sinopoli, Unit Commander of Sex Crimes for Toronto police, explains on Monday. “He was advised on how the student could engage our services and no further action was taken or received after that.”
• Later that night the school receives video of a second incident of an alleged group sexual assault in a school locker room involving a broomstick.
• The school does not yet contact police about the alleged sex assault video.

 

Tuesday, Nov. 13

• St. Michael’s College School continues an internal investigation. Four students are expelled in connection to the first video depicting an assault in the boys washroom.
• No action is taken yet in connection to the alleged sex assault locker-room video.
• School administration informs faculty and staff of both incidents.

 

Wednesday, Nov. 14

• CityNews contacts Toronto police to inquire about a possible incident at St. Michael’s College School, unrelated to the assault investigations. Based upon the CityNews phone call, police visit the school. When officers arrive, staff at St. Mike’s alert them to the video showing the alleged sexual assault involving a broomstick, which the school had been aware of since Monday evening.
• The school suspends four students in connection with the locker-room video. An additional student is suspended in connection with the previous washroom video.
• School staff turn over the locker-room video to police.
• On Wednesday night, police issue a release stating that content on the video meets the definition of child porn.

 

Thursday, Nov. 15

• The school becomes the target of a threat, prompting a heavy police presence.
• The school becomes aware of another incident and contacts police. “The principal learned of another sexual assault incident that had occurred prior to the ones already being investigated,” Insp. Dominic Sinopoli says. “He immediately notified police and a fourth occurrence was generated.”
• School staff and football coaches meet with parents and members of the junior football team.

 

Friday, Nov. 16

• The school hosts two town hall meetings where some parents lash out at the media.

 

Sunday, Nov. 18

• St. Michael’s principal Greg Reeves breaks his silence, saying he held off on promptly informing police about the locker-room video because the victim hadn’t yet told his family about the incident.
• Reeves said he received another video over email Sunday morning, which he did not view but immediately forwarded to police. It’s not clear whether that video depicts a new incident or one of those already reported.

 

Monday, Nov. 19

• Five boys turn themselves in to police. One is arrested while on his way to school. They are all facing charges of assault, gang sexual assault and sexual assault with a weapon.
• Police confirm they are probing four incidents with at least four potential victims.
• A bomb threat targeting the school is made.
• All six accused teens appear in court and are released on bail.
• They are scheduled back in court on Dec. 19.

 

Tuesday, Nov. 20

• Toronto police tell CityNews they are investigating two new incidents at the school and there are videos of both. This brings the total number of reported incidents at the school to six.

 

Wednesday, Nov. 21

• St. Mike’s board of directors issues a release indicating its support of Reeves and President Jefferson Thompson.

 

Thursday, Nov. 22

• The school announces Reeves’s and Thompson’s resignation, effective immediately.

 

With files from The Canadian Press