Dayton teen arrested after Walla Walla High threat

WALLA WALLA, Wa. — A Dayton teen is in custody after he threatened high school students and staff at Walla Walla High School Tuesday morning. Earlier, classes were canceled for the day because of the threat.

The 17-year-old Wa-Hi student left a message on a fellow student’s cellphone late Monday threatening students and staff, the Walla Walla Sheriff’s Office said.

After hearing the message, the student told his father, who then called the school and reported the threat, said district officials and Walla Walla County Undersheriff Joe Klundt.

District officials then called police.

The high school principal decided to cancel classes on Tuesday while deputies investigated. They learned the teen was still on a school bus en route. Deputies met the bus at the school and escorted the teen off.

He didn’t have any weapons with him, Klundt said.

After interviewing the youth, he was arrested and taken to the Walla Walla Juvenile Justice Center on suspicion of harassment.

School officials have since decided that after-school activities will continue as scheduled, and classes will resume as normal on Wednesday.

“We appreciated the family who immediately reported the threat to us this morning so that we could act quickly to ensure the safety for everyone involved,” Superintendent Wade Smith said in a statement. “Student and staff safety always comes first and this morning was no exception.”