When Port Alberni resident Lisa Lucas first met a teenage Bryer Schmegelsky at her home, she thought he was simply an oddball, shy kid, living down the road at his grandmother’s house.
“You know playing their video games, a bunch of the kids and or the two of them, having supper,” Lucas said.
As years went by, though, she says the pale, introvert increasingly turned to violent online gaming. That had even her own son who was the same age worried and distancing himself from him.
“He just gave off a weird kind of a vibe, like he just made him feel uncomfortable,” Lucas said.
Photos posted online to reveal the 18-year-old posing with guns. His user profile “Illusive Gameing” is decorated by a swastika.
“He remembers seeing it on one of his social media, the Nazi symbol,” Lucas said. “Everybody in this community just hopes there’s a misunderstanding.”
Lucas says she is heartbroken learning of this new side of him and wanted Canada wide in connection with the deaths of three people in northern B.C.
“I am completely surprised The thought having that kid in my house. Like it shocks me. You know,” Lucas said.
Jesse Johnson is a family friend of the second wanted teen Kam McLeod.
“I don’t know It’s really a mystery, them running is kind of a bad sign to me,” Johnson said.
“The whole family was a good family. They were nice and he was nice from what I’ve understood, and seen of him.”
So this community can only hope this baffling mystery ends soon and Lisa Lucas is pleading for the once shy boy she knew, Bryer Schmegelsky to turn himself in.
“Buddy I just hope that you’re okay. I hope you do the right thing and turn yourself in. Your family’s really worried about you and the community’s worried about you,” Lucas said.
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