Ellensburg High School (EHS) Principal Beau Snow made an announcement to students and parents via email that a lockdown was in progress on May 10 at 1:03 p.m. This was announced after KitCom, a civilian-staffed 911 center, sent a report of an imminent threat at 12:28 p.m.
The Ellensburg Police Department (EPD) sent out an announcement on their facebook at 1:08 p.m. stating that as a precaution there would be a continued police presence at EHS for the remainder of the school day. According to the post, EPD is still investigating the threat.
According to EHS junior Serena Scheffer-Arango, who was present during the lockdown, an announcement came over the school intercom around 12:30 p.m. on active lockdown, stating that it was “not a drill” and instructing students. to hide in the classrooms.
“I heard screaming from the cafeteria… and a bunch of people came running down the hall and into our room, and then one of our club managers kept the door closed because our door didn’t have a lock “, Scheffer-Arango. said
Scheffer-Arango said students hid in scrolls on the walls.
“I texted my mom to let her know what was going on, and the parents didn’t get a text until the lockdown ended that everything was fine, but I was with my friend under the desk, we were holding hands,” Scheffer. – said Arango. “I heard other people in the room, there were people crying because none of us knew what was going on.”
Scheffer-Arango said they had never experienced an active lockdown other than a drill before at EHS. He mentioned recent national news in terms of gun violence and its impact on students.
“I think going through everybody’s mind, it was like, there’s probably a school shooter here because this is just the current events that are happening now,” Scheffer-Arango said.
Scheffer-Arango said the experience was impactful.
“It’s a little disconcerting that I was able to experience that, but I also felt a sense of relief after that no one was hurt,” Scheffer-Arango said.
Ellensburg School District (ESD) Superintendent Jinger Haberer and ESD District Director of Safety and Security Neil Musser released a statement stating that ESD, as well as other school districts in the state, have been reporting incidents of beatings.
The statement defines the beating as “a false report of an ongoing emergency or threat of violence intended to provoke an immediate tactical response by law enforcement.”
The story has been updated with additional details.
