Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
COLFAX — Colfax Junior-Senior High School went on lockdown for less than five minutes Wednesday after an anonymous call claimed a student was bringing a gun.
“We determined there was never a threat at any time,” said Whitman County Sheriff Brett Myers.
Deputies responded to the school at 11:15 a.m. and the lockdown was lifted by 11:20 a.m. The student was immediately identified, contacted, and spoken to, said Myers. He and his family were cooperative.
The call came from a blocked number. Once received, Principal David Gibb put the building into lockdown and called 911.
“We don’t have anything to support that anonymous tip at this time,” Myers said. “It was anonymous information and we haven’t been able to track down who made the call or why.”
The incident happened while middle school students were at lunch and high school students in class.
“The staff handled it well. Mr. Gibb did the right thing and the sheriffs were amazing as well,” said Superintendent Jerry Pugh. “Very, very professional. Very well-done.”
It was the first non-training use of the school’s updated automated lockdown system.
“We have to take these things 100% serious all the time. It’s the reaction we have to take in this day and age,” said Myers.
Bill Stevenson is the former editor of the Whitman County Gazette, Colfax Daily Bulletin and Franklin Connection. He has nearly 30 years of journalism experience covering news in Eastern Washington.
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