Threat closes Lind-Ritzville schools

RITZVILLE — A 14-year-old boy was arrested Tuesday and Lind-Ritzville Cooperative Schools were closed for the day after a threat was made against Lind-Ritzville High School.

The boy was booked on suspicion of making threats to bomb, according to a press release from the Ritzville Police Department. Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner wrote in a media release that the boy was booked into Martin Hall Juvenile Detention Center. A residence in Ritzville was searched by the RPD as part of the investigation.  

In a media release issued late Tuesday morning, LRCS Superintendent Don Vanderholm wrote the threat was made on the social media site Snapchat and that district officials learned of it Monday night. 

"These threats included names, methods and times,” Vanderholm wrote. 

According to the RPD press release, the juvenile had identified specific individuals. 

“The juvenile had used a teacher’s name and the name of another student to make the threats. Through the investigation, we found a list of what appeared to be named targets of the juvenile suspect. Parents were notified if their child was one of the named persons on the list. The next step in this case is a risk assessment, which will be conducted in collaboration with the Lind-Ritzville School District,” the RPD release said.  

“At this stage of the investigation there is no evidence suggesting the involvement of other individuals,” Wagner wrote. “It appears the arrested juvenile acted alone.” 

Vanderholm wrote that in light of the threats, all schools were closed to ensure student safety and that law enforcement agencies conducted searches of the high school. 

“The sheriff’s office requested assistance from Hanford patrol K-9. A specialized explosives detection team conducted a thorough search of Lind-Ritzville High School and confirmed the facility is free of any explosives,” Wagner wrote.  

“The school will come up with safety plans for affected students,” the RPD release said.  

The RPD expressed its appreciation to the ACSO, the school district, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hanford Patrol and school district residents for their help and cooperation. 

    A K-9 from the Hanford Patrol explosives detection team searches the Lind-Ritzville High School library.