'Is this happening because of what happened in Texas?': 2 schools threatened in Western Washington
WASHINGTON - Two schools in Western Washington experienced threats that were serious enough to involve police, less than a day after one of the worst school shootings in the United States.
Following the horrific murders of at least 21 people, most of them children, in Texas, Washington students in two different districts dealt with fear of a similar act.
Puyallup police say they investigated a threat made by a 14-year-old student who goes to Ferrucci Junior High School.
Police tell FOX 13 News the teen threatened to shoot and kill another student in a group text chat. A parent found out about the threat and reported it.
Puyallup School officials say they "emergency expelled" the student.
Police say they investigated the threat, and deemed that it was not credible. So, no arrests were made.
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However, police say they forwarded the investigation to the prosecutor for final say on what, if any, charges may come.
A few hours after the incident in Puyallup, and about 150 miles north, in Blaine, children were forced into a lockdown at school due to a threat.
"It was really scary, and me and my friends were texting each other, like, ‘Is this happening because of what happened in Texas? Is this what set this off,’" said London Fletcher.
Fletcher is a 9th grade student at Blaine High School.
Blaine police reported the Blaine School District went into lockdown following a threat that involved a person claiming to be in school with a weapon. Police say the threat was texted to a student by an unknown source.
For hours, students were not able to leave, and parents were terrified.
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"While it’s happening, you know, your adrenaline is running. And you don’t really have any time to process everything. And then once you have your kid with you, it was very overwhelming," said Joel Fletcher, London’s father.
FOX 13 News spoke to a disaster psychologist about the trend of copycat threats following a tragedy.
"For positive events, and compassion, and good news spreading, there is the potential for people to copy each other, just as there are for negative and horrific type events," said Kira Mauseth.
Mauseth is a disaster and clinical psychologist.
She says with the possibility of more copycat type events, the focus for families has to be making sure kids feel safe in school, and that could be a difficult conversation.
"Be as honest and straightforward as you can about risks, about what to do, about what the decision are, and the thinking is about it on the part of your family," said Mauseth.
Blaine police say they did not find a suspect, or a threat. They continue to investigate.
The Blaine School District announced late Wednesday night school is canceled on Thursday, and officials say they are unsure about classes on Friday.