An eighth-grade student at Highlands Middle School in Kennewick, Washington, was arrested after allegedly threatening to “shoot up the school,” according to a report from the Kennewick Police Department. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a fellow student overheard the threat and promptly reported it to authorities.
Kennewick Police Commander Isaac Merkl confirmed that law enforcement quickly intervened, speaking with the student and their parents. While the investigation revealed that the student did not have access to weapons, the severity of the threat led to the student’s arrest on suspicion of harassment. The teenager was booked into the Benton-Franklin Juvenile Detention Center.
Commander Merkl emphasized the importance of parents talking to their children about the consequences of making threats, regardless of intent. “Police and school district officials take all threats seriously,” Merkl said, adding that such behavior can result in severe consequences, including expulsion or legal action.
The arrest came amid heightened concerns surrounding school safety, as this was the second investigation at Highlands Middle School that day. Earlier, a separate report of a possible shooting threat was determined to be non-credible by a school resource officer. However, local police remain on high alert as rumors and false reports of school shootings continue to circulate, particularly following the recent tragedy at Apalachee High School in Georgia on September 4.
According to Merkl, many of the rumors spreading through Kennewick schools appear to be fueled by social media posts related to the Georgia incident, with students and parents mistakenly assuming these threats pertain to their own schools. This phenomenon is not unique to Kennewick, as schools and law enforcement across the country are dealing with a surge of shooting rumors in the aftermath of the Georgia shooting.
Merkl also stressed the importance of reporting potential threats, citing data that in 80% of school shootings, at least one person had prior knowledge of the shooter’s intent. “If that person comes forward, we are able to mitigate that and prevent it from occurring,” he said.
Kennewick police continue to encourage parents, students, and school staff to remain vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to authorities to ensure the safety of the community.
