News From New Zealand
Created | Updated Jun 22, 2003
Teenager Receives Award From FBI
Waiuku, New Zealand, 16-year-old Tarryn Pitzer has a commendation from the FBI, and a cap, to remind her of her part in averting a possible school shooting tragedy in the US. Tarryn learned that an American student she was chatting with on the Internet wanted to kill his fellow-students. She contacted Waiuku constable Johnny Rei who helped her identify the youth and his school in Pittsburgh and alert police.
In South Auckland on Tuesday (NZ time) Acting US Ambassador Phil Wall read Tarryn a letter from the FBI head. It said the FBI greatly appreciates her promptly telling the New Zealand police of the boy's threats and also her subsequent efforts to identify him and his school.
The part played by Constable Rei was also the subject of a letter of commendation. Ambassador Wall read a second letter from the FBI head praising Constable Rei.
Tarryn aims to gain a degree in psychology and continue counselling. She says her experience has given her the confidence to start her own non-profit organisation. She says, provided she gets sponsors, it will be online, helping young people internationally.