Teens arrested for alleged threats to schools in Washington, school locked down

In the wake of the tragic shooting at an Oregon community college, similar threats sprung up around Washington, resulting in the arrest of at least two teens, and a school lock down.

Centralia High School was placed into lockdown Friday after a threatening note was discovered in a classroom, according to The Chronicle. The note indicated that a student planned to kill people during an assembly planned for the afternoon.

The Centralia School District notified the community of the situation via Facebook.

Centralia High School is currently on lockdown due to a threat received. We are assessing the situation with law-enforcement. At this time students are still on campus and are safe. However we are evaluating the need to release students early. If that happens we will release students to the Centralia Community Church of God across the road from the high school. Please do not come to Centralia high school we will let you know if and when and where students are released. Follow this page for more information.

Classes at the school were eventually canceled for the rest of the day. The Chronicle reports that the school’s homecoming football game was postponed.

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On Thursday, while media attention was focused on the tragic shooting at an Oregon community college, police in Western Washington were responding to potential threats at schools.

Deputies in Kitsap County said three minors were identified as making comments that were violent in nature on social media.

“These inappropriate comments concerned threats to cause harm through violent means at a South Kitsap junior high school, specifically Marcus Whitman Junior High,” said Scott Wilson with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office. “These threats imply the use of gunfire and explosives.”

Deputies spoke with a 16-year-old male early Thursday about his comments. The teen told investigators that he made the comments, but he was only joking, according to the sheriff’s office. The boy was arrested and charged with felony harassment.

“It doesn’t matter if remarks to harm that are posted on social media or said flippantly are ‘only a joke’ in the opinion of those engaged in this form of communication,” said Sheriff Gary Simpson. “Threats are taken seriously. We investigate and bring those responsible to court to be held accountable for their actions. [The] atrocity down in Roseburg, Ore. confirms the need for all of us in the community to be ever vigilant.”

Two other juveniles, who allegedly posted threatening comments, face potential charges.

In Olympia, a teen was arrested at Capital High School on Thursday for bringing a gun to school. Police say the handgun was found in the student’s car. The school’s student resource officer, a member of the Olympia police force, arrested the teen, according to The Olympian.

The student, who has been suspended, and the resource officer are related.