Comstock neighborhood schools temporarily locked down after man jumps Sacajawea fence, makes threats

Several schools and day cares in the Comstock neighborhood area were on lockdown for about a half hour on Thursday afternoon while Spokane police searched for a man who reportedly was yelling threats and jumped a fence at Sacajawea Middle School.

Police responded to the area when someone reported the man’s behavior just after 1 p.m., according to Lt. Dan Waters. The person said the man was yelling threats near the 400 block of East 30th Avenue and jumped the fence from Pavlish Playhouse & Preschool into the Sacajawea Middle School rear parking area.

The person said the man then continued toward the nearby water tower, Waters said. Police detained him at about 1:30 p.m. near East 37th Avenue and South Latawah Street, where a witness positively identified him.

Waters said the man is experiencing extreme mental illness. Police did not charge him with a crime and did not have a reason to commit him to a hospital.

Sacajawea Middle School and the neighboring old Jefferson Elementary School, which is now housing the students from Wilson Elementary during a construction project, were on lockdown for about 30 minutes.

The district was in the process of communicating with families at 2:15 p.m.