Oct. 15—A 12-year-old boy is accused of bringing a gun to Shaw Middle School, forcing the school into a brief lockdown Tuesday in north Spokane.
Police officers responded to the school, 4106 N. Cook St., at 11:30 a.m. after school officials called 911 reporting that a student had a gun in his possession, according to a Spokane Police Department news release. Another student reported the information to school staff, police said.
Spokane Public Schools officers contacted the student, took his backpack and found a loaded handgun inside, according to police. The boy fled the school after 911 was called.
Patrol officers located the student a short distance from the school and arrested him. Police learned that the student had shown the gun to another classmate and told him not to say anything, police said.
The 12-year-old student was arrested on suspicion of possession of dangerous weapons on school facilities and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He was booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center.
An email sent to Shaw families and staff indicated the high school was placed on lockdown for about 10 minutes while police searched for the boy.
An email was also sent to families at Bemiss and Regal elementary schools, On Track Academy and NEWTech Prep, advising the four schools to implement “safeguard and educate” protocol for approximately 10 minutes. The protocol involves locking the exterior doors while normal activities resume in the buildings.
