School responds to rumors of fight

Police patrol high school throughout week

MOSES LAKE — Thursday morning was not a typical one at Moses Lake High School.

Three police cars sat parked in front of the school, and officers patrolled the streets surrounding campus. The parking lot was filled to half capacity.

All this after a letter was sent home to parents of Moses Lake High School students on Wednesday, informing them of rumors about a potential fight expected to take place at the high school sometime in the next couple of days. The rumors surfaced earlier this week.

In the letter, high school administration state that officers from the Moses Lake Police Department and the Grant County Sheriff's Office will be present at the high school to provide security around campus during passing periods and lunch.

Additional police staff are expected to be at MLHS through Monday.

The letter reports the rumors are unconfirmed at this time and that it is up to individual families to decide whether or not to send their child to school.

Dave Balcom, principal at MLHS, said reports the school received from parents and students alluded to Friday as the date when the alleged incident between two groups of students would take place. Reports since then have indicated it might happen Monday.

Other rumors have indicated the possibility of a school shooting, or that the incident is gang-related and may have begun weeks ago in a fight outside of the high school.

Chief of Police with the MLPD Dean Mitchell reiterated these are all unconfirmed rumors at this point. He said this type of intimidation and uncertainty is what gangs tend to thrive on.

The appropriate way to respond is to increase police patrols and make people aware of the situation, MItchell said.

Classes and all programs, with exception to the preschool program Wee Chiefs at MLHS, are expected to continue as normal.

Wee Chiefs was closed today. According to staff there, the preschool program will resume Tuesday.

Balcom said the decision to close the preschool was made on the basis of the young age of those students. "We're trying to be as responsive and safe as we can without creating any kind of hysteria."

Steve Chestnut, superintendent with the Moses Lake School District, said school district administration met earlier in the week with police to formulate a response plan.

These are rumors and the school district is going to take the necessary precautions, Chestnut said.