Suspect arrested after threat prompts lockdown at Blaine schools

BLAINE, Wash. — A suspect has been arrested in connection with a series of threats that prompted a lockdown at schools in the Blaine School District on Wednesday, according to the Blaine Police Department.

The district’s schools were placed under lockdown after a student received threats from an unknown person who said they would be on campus, even indicating that a person was in the school with a weapon.

After law enforcement investigated and cleared all schools, the district reported that no threat or person of interest had been identified in the incident.

On Friday, police were notified that three juveniles had received threatening text messages that were very similar to the ones that prompted Blaine schools to go into lockdown on Wednesday.

At about 12:45 a.m. Saturday, officers were made aware of yet another threatening text.

Officers contacted the juvenile who reported receiving the threatening message. After finding inconsistencies with his story, police were able to determine that he was the suspect.

The boy admitted to police that he had sent all of the messages and stated that he had meant them as a prank.

He was arrested just before 1:30 a.m. Saturday and has been booked into the Whatcom County Juvenile Detention Center.

All of the threatening messages, including those sent on Wednesday, came through a third-party app called “Text Now,” according to Blaine police.

School officials canceled classes Thursday and Friday and advised families to use the extra time for self-care.

The incident and the district’s action follow the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas, where a gunman opened fire, killing at least 19 children and two adults.

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