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Two gun threats prompt Chief Moses Middle School lockdowns Friday

By Charles H. Featherstone Columbia Basin Herald

MOSES LAKE – A pair of reports of students with guns prompted a lockdown at Chief Moses Middle School on Friday morning and the arrest of two juveniles.

In the first incident, a student allegedly brought a firearm to school on Thursday and showed other students, who eventually reported this to school officials Friday morning, according to the Moses Lake Police.

The MLPD said the student was not on campus Friday morning but school officials opted to secure the building while police attempted to locate the student. The first lockdown lasted from 8:50 a.m. to around 10:40 a.m., according to the Moses Lake School District.

“Both Garden Heights and Lakeview Camp 5 students remained on their home campuses until the ‘Secure the Building’ was cleared,” the district said.

“The suspect claimed the gun to be an airlift or pellet gun, but this point it has not been confirmed whether it was an actual firearm or not,” the MLPD said in a statement. “No evidence was found that the suspect had made any threats to the school of any people.”

However, during the first lockdown, another student reportedly said he was carrying a gun and threatened to shoot other students and a staff member.

“One student told other students that he was carrying a gun at school,” an MLPD statement said. “Witnesses immediately told staff, police were notified, and the suspect was detained and searched.”

As the student was detained, the district says that Chief Moses Middle School went into a second lockdown at 11:30 a.m. “for approximately five to seven minutes” while the student and his bag, locker and classroom were searched.

“There is no evidence that a gun was ever on campus during this incident,” the MLPD said.

Both young suspects were booked into Martin Hall in Medical Lake.

“We want to remind all of our students of the importance of ‘See Something, Say Something,’ and ask that you have this conversation with your student as we continue to ensure the safety of all our students and staff,” said a district statement.