8th-grader arrested after an alleged shooting threat at a Kennewick middle school

A Kennewick middle school student was arrested after allegedly threatening to “shoot up the school.”

A fellow Highlands Middle School student reported overhearing the eighth-grade classmate making the threat Tuesday afternoon, according to a Kennewick police Facebook post.

Police did not release any more information about the student or where the threat was made.

Commander Isaac Merkl told the Tri-City Herald police spoke with the teen’s parents and the student didn’t have access to weapons.

But since the student made a threat, the teen was booked into Benton-Franklin Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of harassment.

Merkl urged all parents to talk with their children about making threats.

Police and school district officials take all threats seriously and it could lead to students being expelled from school or arrested, say officials.

The arrest was the second investigation at the middle school on Tuesday. Students told a Kennewick school resource officer about a possible shooting threat at the middle school.

When the officer looked into it, the report proved not to be credible.

With school having been in session for a little over a month, Kennewick police said they’ve dealt with multiple school shooting rumors from social media posts.

Merkl said they believe the rumors are being fueled by the Sept. 4 school shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia. People see posts associated with the shooting, but then assume it has to do with their own school.

It’s an issue that schools and police across the country are dealing with.

Merkl said it is important for students or parents reach out to police if they hear a threat. In 80% of all school shootings, at least one person knew that someone was planning.

“If that person comes forward, we are able to mitigate that and prevent it from occurring,” he said.