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W. R. Myers High School shooting

SOLVED1999W. R. Myers High School, Taber, Alberta, Canada2 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On April 28, 1999, a shooting occurred at W. R. Myers High School in Taber, Alberta, Canada. A 14-year-old former student, armed with a .22-caliber rifle, entered the school and fired at students in a hallway near the cafeteria as lunch ended, fatally shooting 17-year-old Jason Lang and wounding another student. A gym teacher subdued the shooter, who was arrested at the scene by a police officer serving as the school's resource officer. It was reported as the first fatal high-school shooting in Canada in 24 years.

The shooter was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Because he was a minor, his identity was protected under Canada's Young Offenders Act. A motion by the Crown to have him tried as an adult was denied, and he was tried as a young offender. In September 2000 he pleaded guilty to all three charges and was sentenced to three years in custody followed by seven years of probation.

In March 2005 he was released to a halfway house. He briefly left it later that year, and a court injunction temporarily allowed police to publish his identity while he was at large; he turned himself in the next day, and the publication permission lapsed on his return, after which his identity was again protected.

Key facts

Victims
Jason Lang
Date
1999
Location
W. R. Myers High School, Taber, Alberta, Canada
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1999-04-28

    Shooting occurs at W. R. Myers High School in Taber, Alberta; Jason Lang is fatally shot and another student is wounded before the gunman is subdued and arrested.

  2. 2000-09

    Smith appears in court, pleads guilty to first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, and is sentenced to three years in prison plus seven years of probation.

  3. 2005-03

    Smith is released into a halfway house in Toronto.

  4. 2005-08

    Smith leaves the halfway house, prompting a court injunction allowing police to publicize his identity; he turns himself in to authorities the following day.

Best coverage

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People

  • Jason Lang

    VICTIM

    17-year-old student fatally shot at point-blank range in the hallway shooting.

  • Todd Cameron Smith

    CONVICTED

    Pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder; sentenced as a juvenile to three years in prison and seven years of probation.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

W. R. Myers High School, Taber, Alberta, Canada

49.7869, -112.1462

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On April 28, 1999, a 14-year-old former student opened fire at W. R. Myers High School in Taber, Alberta, fatally shooting 17-year-old Jason Lang and wounding another student before being subdued by a teacher.
Where did the shooting happen?
W. R. Myers High School, Taber, Alberta, Canada.
Who was convicted?
Todd Cameron Smith (Pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder; sentenced as a juvenile to three years in prison and seven years of probation.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Alberta

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICW. R. Myers High School shootingWikipedia · 2026-07-10
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The Globe and MailThe Globe and Mail · 2026-07-10