Clark County sheriff’s deputies arrested a Pacific Middle School student Thursday morning after he was found with his father’s unloaded Glock 9-mm handgun — and two loaded magazines — in his backpack.
Sgt. Craig Randall said the 12-year-old boy had displayed a knife at school Monday and the gun on Wednesday, in an effort to protect himself and friends from a bully, he told officers.
Further investigation found the gun also was displayed on Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office said. The boy said he had taken the weapon without his father’s permission.
Late Thursday, the boy was lodged in Clark County Juvenile Detention Hall.
He was charged with theft of a firearm and possession of a dangerous weapon at school.
A schoolmate who saw the gun informed his mother Wednesday evening, and she called early Thursday to warn the school, said Scott Deutsch, safety manager for Evergreen Public Schools.
Deputies arrived at Pacific and escorted the boy from his class at about 9:15 a.m.
The school, home to more than 1,100 students, was not put into a lockdown, Deutsch said.
The boy was placed on emergency school expulsion pending additional investigation of the incident and the claims of bullying, said Carol Fenstermacher, Evergreen spokeswoman.
Officers do not believe he brandished the gun in a threatening manner, nor are there any reported victims of threats, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Thursday’s incident follows a similar episode Nov. 5 at Battle Ground’s Daybreak Middle School.
There, a loaded .22-caliber handgun was found in the backpack of Blake Schlecht, now 14, after it was reportedly brought to school by another eighth-grader, Hunter Northrup, 13.
That gun belonged to a Northrup family member. Officers found no evidence of intent to harm, by either boy.
Both were expelled from Daybreak and any Battle Ground school district property for one calendar year, a district official said. Schlecht awaits a Feb. 10 hearing for a trial date on gun charges; Northrup’s status was unknown.
Bob Albrecht of The Columbian contributed to this story.
Howard Buck: 360-735-4515 or howard.buck@columbian.com.
