Social media threat causes modified lockdowns at four Othello schools Monday morning

OTHELLO — Four Othello schools were placed on a modified lockdown Monday morning after a social media message allegedly threatened McFarland Middle School.

Othello School District officials instituted a modified lockdown at McFarland, Othello High School, Desert Oasis High School and Lutacaga Elementary. In a modified lockdown students and teachers stay in the classroom while classes keep going, and all doors are locked and monitored.

“A high school kid made a social media threat,” said Othello Police Chief Phil Schenck.

“The comments were specific enough that the (police department) felt that placing those four schools on heightened security protocols was the appropriate action,” according to an OSD press release.

“And we had the individual in custody in 20 minutes,” Schenck said.

The student was not at school when OPD officers found him, and was not armed, the press release said.

“The middle school was the school that was threatened,” Schenck said.

The lockdown was lifted at about 9:10 a.m., according to information from the school district.

Schenck said district and school officials were contacted by people who saw the messages.

“The out-of-state friend who received the threatening comments immediately told others who contacted authorities,” the OSD press release said. “We want to thank those students.”

Citizens being proactively involved in alerting authorities helped in the situation, Schenck said.

“It was some individuals being alarmed and communicating what they saw on social media that made it possible for us to keep our schools safe,” Schenck said.

A presentation on school security is scheduled for the June 13 meeting of the Othello School Board. The meeting starts at 7 p,.m. A school security forum for parents and district patrons will be announced sometime before the beginning of the 2022-23 school year.

Cheryl Schweizer may be reached at cschweizer@columbiabasinherald.com.