Two 15-year-olds charged after bringing guns to Seattle high school

Two 15-year-olds have been charged in King County Juvenile Court with unlawful gun possession following last week’s lockdown at Evergreen High School, located in unincorporated King County south of West Seattle. 

According to information released by the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the official court filings obtained by The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, prosecutors filed identical core charges against both teens: Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the Second Degree and Unlawful Possession of a Dangerous Weapon. In the charging language, prosecutors allege each juvenile “knowingly…have in his custody, control, or possession…a handgun,” despite being legally prohibited from doing so because of age.

The second charge focuses on the school setting itself. Prosecutors allege the teens unlawfully possessed a firearm on school premises, specifically Evergreen High School, an allegation that elevated concern and triggered the lockdown response from school staff and law enforcement.

According to a Certification for Determination of Probable Cause filed with the court, the incident unfolded the morning of Dec. 17 when deputies were dispatched to Evergreen High School following a report that a student had a gun. In one of the lines describing the initial alert, the filing states: “OFFICE RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM A STUDENT IN ROOM 3612…”

The same dispatch entry indicates the message warned of another student with a weapon, prompting immediate action by school officials and law enforcement. As deputies responded, the court narrative describes staff moving quickly to contain the situation while identifying the students involved. The probable-cause certification describes the firearm recovery in direct terms, stating deputies “found a black Glock,” and indicating it was recovered from a backpack during the investigation.

The filing also describes how information gathered during the lockdown led staff and deputies to look for additional weapons and additional students possibly involved.

At the teens’ first court appearance, King County prosecutors asked that both be held in secure detention. Prosecutors argued that allegations involving firearms at a school warranted confinement while the cases proceed. After hearing from prosecutors, defense attorneys, juvenile probation counselors, and family members, the court declined to order secure detention. Instead, the judge ordered both teens to electronic home detention with conditions. Those conditions include no unauthorized contact with Evergreen High School and requirements that both remain in contact with their juvenile probation counselors. The prosecutor’s office emphasized that incidents involving firearms at schools are treated as traditional prosecution matters in court.

The next scheduled hearings for both teens are arraignments set for 1:30 pm today at the Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center in Seattle, where the juvenile division of King County Superior Court is based.