Most Students Return To Classes At Sacajawea Police Continue Investigation Into School Explosion

Wed., June 2, 1999

By Jeanette White jeanettew@spokesman.com

Students returned to classes at Sacajawea Middle School on Tuesday, after an early morning blast had frightened many away on Friday.

Police are still investigating the explosion that damaged attendance more than property, but no arrests have been made.

After an explosion blew out two windows before school Friday, 70 percent of parents decided to keep their kids home for the day, said Principal Herb Rotchford. But on Tuesday, only 6 percent were out.

Rotchford sent a letter to parents over the weekend, reassuring them the school is safe and urging them to help “recapture a sense of normalcy” for students.

Spokane Police Capt. Al Odenthal said police won’t discuss leads in the case because the investigation is still open. But he said the explosion might be related to several others in the South Hill neighborhood.

In the past few months, small explosions have damaged garbage cans in Comstock Park and mailboxes in the area, Odenthal said.

“My belief is that the school happened to be a convenient location,” Odenthal said.

Laboratory tests haven’t determined what the Sacajawea explosive device was made of, he said, adding that it wasn’t a pipe bomb. Police received a tip that a car left the area shortly after the explosion, but they haven’t determined a link.

On Tuesday morning, classes continued as usual after Rotchford assured students an early morning search had been conducted and the school was still safe.

One parent, Jeffry Finer, was glad to see the influx of students. On Friday, he attended classes with his daughter, Cassie, to support teachers he said felt abandoned.

“I was watching parents and students empty out of the school like some gigantic hemorrhage and it distressed me terribly,” said Finer, an attorney.

Some classrooms had only a handful of students, he said.

“It is terribly wrong to walk away from a school under these circumstances,” Finer said. “It hands over to a prankster far too much power. And it says to a child what we’ll do in a crisis is head for the bedcovers.”

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.