Police: Teen caught bringing gun to school after argument online
GIG HARBOR, Wash. - What started as online bullying between Gig Harbor teenagers ended with one caught bringing a firearm onto school property.
Gig Harbor Police said it started over words exchanged through Snapchat and then quickly escalated to violent threats.
It all took place three weeks ago. According to authorities, officers had already dealt with the 18-year-old man prior to his arrest. Police said someone called them for a driver doing donuts in this parking lot in Point Fosdick. Officers wrote a warning, but it wouldn't be the last time they ran into the man.
"We received a call from one of our comprehensive high schools about something that had happened over the weekend, a threat that occurred over the weekend," said Dan Gregory, assistant superintendent for Peninsula School District.
Police said it involved a group chat with at least three people—one person made a comment about the 18-year-old suspect's hair. That suspect wanted the home address of the person who made the comment to 'curb stomp' him, so he direct-messaged the 16-year-old victim for the information.
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Police have not released the names of anyone involved.
According to officers, the suspect told the 16-year-old he would shoot up his house if he wouldn't provide the address. The 16-year-old did not give in, and police say the suspect gave him a '3, 2, 1' countdown through Snapchat. The 16-year-old said he saw a red Honda Civic drive by his home, stop and then drive off. He told police it was similar to the car the suspect drives.
That's when the victim and his mother called police.
"We decided to go a step further and go to the school to advise them on this potential threat," said Police Chief Kelly Busey.
When officers went to Henderson Bay High School, where the suspect attended school, it coincidentally was already on a lockdown drill, and the suspect was already in trouble for suspicion of using marijuana.
Police said when the suspect was confronted for doing donuts in the parking lot the day prior, officers saw an airsoft gun in the backseat of the car. When police went to the high school to talk to school administration, the officer asked to check the suspect's car to check if the airsoft gun was still in the back.
"The school district was doing their own investigation on the marijuana and they had the ability to search the car on their own," Gregory said. "They did and when they opened the trunk, they found a .22 rifle and some ammunition."
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School administration found other items in the trunk of the suspect's Honda Civic including alcohol, marijuana and smoking materials, a folding knife, a tomahawk-style ax and a firecracker.
It's unclear what the suspect planned to use these materials for. Police said he claimed he had the rifle for safety and his parents gave it to him.
The district says it's relieved the 16-year-old came forward and let police know what was happening.
"We take every report seriously, and when the question comes up of if there is the potential of a firearm involved," Gregory said, "the first call is to law enforcement."
Peninsula School District said they can't comment on what specific punishment students receive, like suspension. They said the incident from three weeks ago was handled according to the district's guidelines for consequences.
Police told FOX 13 this case was sent to the prosecutor's office for possible charges.