School shooting threats in Central Valley, Pullman and elsewhere deemed a hoax

Multiple schools across the Inland Northwest received threats of mass shootings on Wednesday morning that were deemed to be false, authorities said.

According to a release from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, a threat was made to Central Valley High School at about 9:50 a.m.

A caller reported that “he was armed at the school and threatened to start shooting,” the sheriff’s office said.

School administrators placed the school on lockdown. However, authorities determined the call was a hoax shortly thereafter. Students and staff were never in danger, the sheriff’s office said.

No threats were made to Spokane Public Schools, but the district said it was increasing its law enforcement presence as a result of the threats in Central Valley.

Other school districts throughout Washington also received similar threats on Wednesday, including at Davenport High School. The school went on lockdown at about 11:30 a.m., but that threat was determined to be hoax as well, school secretary Autumn Abbott said.

Pullman High School also received threats of a shooting, Pullman police reported at about 10:15 a.m. The threats were confirmed to be a hoax as well.

“There is absolutely no reason for someone to make such a reprehensible, senseless, and dangerous threat that only serves to spread fear throughout our schools and community,” the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said in a release. “This criminal act also risks the safety of our entire community as emergency responders are pulled from their normal calls to provide emergency assistance.”