Puyallup high school teacher arrested, accused of threatening to shoot students



PUYALLUP, Wash. -- A geometry teacher at Emerald Ridge High School has been arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot students.

Pierce County Sheriff's Office Detective Ed Troyer says the 58-year-old teacher made the threats while talking to another person on Tuesday night. That person contacted the school district, and the district contacted the sheriff's office.

"This morning we went out to talk to her, and she wouldn't back off from her statements," Troyer said.

It's a shocking event for the school and community.

"She's normally a really nice teacher," said Emerald Ridge junior Raul Garibaldo.

He says he would never expect this from this specific teacher.

"It’s really traumatizing because it’s a teacher I grew up with, during my lunch breaks I would go there and just talk. She was really helpful," he said.

The Puyallup School District placed the teacher on administrative leave, and released a statement saying they were taking the allegations "very seriously."

The teacher has not yet been charged, so Q13 News is not naming her. Sheriff's officials emphasize that it does not appear the teacher had weapons or access to weapons. They are continuing to investigate the threats.