Seventh-grader faces felony harassment charges

Messages referenced past school shooting, specific students, official says

A male seventh-grader at Montesano Junior-Senior High was taken to juvenile detention Friday after statements referencing mass shootings were sent via text message, the Montesano Police Department said.

Chief Brett Vance said somebody who received the text messages reported them to police Friday afternoon and an investigation was launched.

“We felt there was enough information to get a warrant and go talk to them,” Vance said.

During the investigation, Vance said, officials determined no other suspects were involved and weapons at the student’s home were confiscated.

In a release, officials said the threats referenced past mass shootings: “the student made specific statements as to the anniversary of the Columbine School Shooting, other pop culture mass shootings references as well as making statements as to specific firearms and those who had bullied him and his friends.”

As of Monday, the student was being held at the county Juvenile Detention Center on charges of felony harassment and the investigation into the threats was ongoing.

“In this day and age, you can’t say ‘bomb’ on an airplane, you can’t say ‘shoot, die, kill’ at a school,” Vance said. “We always say, ‘If you hear something, say something.’ ”

Anybody who has additional information about the case is asked to contact Lt. Bob Wilson at the Montesano Police Department, 360-249-1031.