Modified lockdowns at Trentwood Elementary and East Valley Middle School has been lifted after authorities say they've made in arrest in an investigation into threats made against students on social media.
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office tells us a juvenile has been arrested for making threats to two juvenile students who attend Trentwood Elementary and South Pines Elementary. The suspect has been charged with two felony counts of threats to bomb or injure property and two felony counts of harassment.
The threats were made Thursday evening around 9:30 while the juveniles were chatting on Instagram Live. The suspect juvenile began making threats toward the other two juveniles. During the threats, the suspect said he knew where the victims lived and where they attended school.
The victims, who attend Trentwood Elementary and South Pines Elementary, were very scared the suspect might carry the threats out, especially due to the recent school shootings.
East Valley School Resource Deputy John McQuitty and Central Valley School Resource Deputy Brian Lawler were notified of the threat, as were School District Officials.
As a precaution, Trentwood Elementary and East Valley Middle School were placed on modified lockdown and additional deputies were assigned to the area.
Central Valley School did not have students in attendance today due to a scheduled in-service training day for teachers.
Just prior to 9:00 a.m., deputies located the suspect at a residence in the area of Evergreen and 16th Avenue in Spokane Valley. He was arrested and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center and booked for two felony counts of Threats to Bomb or Injure Property and two felony counts of Harassment.
The school districts, Spokane Valley Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office take these threats very seriously. The safety of the students and staff is paramount and we will continue to work together to identify and investigate these threats.
Parents, please talk to your school aged children about “See Something, Say Something” and immediately reporting threats. Also, please caution them about what they say or post on social media or to others. Explain the seriousness of their comments, even if they are just “venting or frustrated” and the fact threats will be taken seriously and investigated.
(story: Nichole Mischke, KHQ Right Now Reporter; image: KHQ.com)