Threats, violence, and shootings plague Washington state schools

Another Washington state school was placed on lockdown Monday following a threat of violence. This followed a week of threats and violence at other schools in the state. The office of Chris Reykdal, superintendent of Washington public schools declined an interview request regarding the ongoing safety issues at schools across the state.

North Creek High School in the Northshore district was placed on lockdown Monday morning "…out of an abundance of caution due to a written message threatening violence in the school," according to an email obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on 570 KVI.

The lockdown was later lifted after authorities deemed there was no credible threat. On Friday, the school was placed in "safe inside" mode "…due to a threat discovered on social media."

Law enforcement and District Safety & Security staff had to be dispatched to the school in both cases because police, known as School Resource Officers, were removed from the campus following the death of George Floyd. In communications with school officials, Lisa Youngblood Hall, Chief Communications and Experience Officer, refused to answer the question if the school or the district was considering bringing the officers back on campus full time.

On Tuesday, Nov. 30, the Bothell High School administration was made aware of graffiti threatening violence against the school. An investigation was initiated to identify the source of the message and determine whether it was a credible threat.

Later that afternoon, more tips led to a possible bomb threat against Bothell High posted on social media. As a result of the new threat, multiple law enforcement agencies evacuated the campus and completed a sweep, which turned up no evidence of a weapon or incendiary device. The Bothell High campus was closed on Thursday, Dec. 2 out of an abundance of caution. School reopened on Friday, Dec. 3.

Also, on Thursday, there was another rumor of a threat at Inglemoor High School and the school was placed on "safe inside" status, as a precautionary measure. Once again, it was determined that there was no credible threat.

Also on Thursday, a student at Explorer Middle School in the Mukilteo School District claimed to have gotten a text from an unknown number about a bomb threat at the school.

According to KOMO News, Mariner High School and Voyager Middle School were also threatened on social media. The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said that deputies were able to discover who posted the threat on social and arrested a 14-year-old suspect who is now facing six felony charges.

These threats came just days after Ethan Crumbley, 15, allegedly opened fire at his high school in Oxford, Michigan, which left four dead and seven others wounded.

Earlier in the month, a student allegedly made a threat about shooting up Timberline High School by a student during a conversation with peers. According to the Lacey, WA Police Department, the student had no access to weapons. After being interviewed by a School Resource Officer and the student admitted to "…making an ill-advised joke to some other students about what he would do if he were going to be a school shooter, but claimed to have no intent to shoot anyone and did not threaten to do so."

The department added that, the student has been referred to the Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for charges related to this incident.

According to a statement from North Thurston Public Schools, "Due to student privacy laws, we cannot comment on specific disciplinary action, but in this case I can assure you that disciplinary action was taken and the district is continuing their investigation."

According to parents at the school the student has been suspended indefinitely.

KIRO 7 reported that charges have been referred for a 13-year-old Snohomish County teen who falsely accused a classmate of threatening a school shooting.

According to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, on Dec. 2, deputies responded to a report that a student had allegedly received a phone call from a blocked number saying there would be a shooting at Hidden River Middle School, the next day. The 13-year-old claimed they received the call from a specific classmate that they were going to "...shoot up the school."

Deputies obtained the phone records from the 13-year-old and the accused classmate and discovered that the 13-year-old did not receive any incoming phone calls on that day from an unknown number and the accused classmate did not make any phone calls to the 13-year-old, and did not make any type of threat towards the school or any classmates.

Charges were referred for the teen for false reporting.

Last Thursday, at Garfield High School in Seattle, witnesses heard gunfire and watched as teens fled the scene. Officers found two sets of shell casings on campus and evidence of at least three dozen shots fired including bullet damage to a nearby home and two vehicles. Presently authorities suspect that at least two people exchanged gunfire. The school entered a "shelter-in-place protocol."

In October, several students at Ingraham High School in Seattle said they were threatened on campus by two people with an AR-15.

According to the parent, his son saw a girl in the passenger seat of a car which drove onto campus, who loaded a magazine into an AR-15. He added that the girl and a male driver were yelling at four students coming back from lunch.

His son said that the girl passed the gun to the driver who then pointed it at the students who then threatened the kids and said he was going to kill them.