Two suspects were detained, one-third outside the state, after police feared a break-in at Enumclaw High School on Saturday.
EPD chief Tim Floyd said two of the suspects were high school students and the third was a friend or family member living in California.
“It's not just my own shot, but multiple shots of my commanders and school resource officers, and in our opinion, they're doing a dry run, which could be an active shooter event,” he said.
In an interview with the oldest suspect, who is currently unnamed, he revealed that he is reconnaissance for advanced pranks rather than shootings. The suspect turned himself into a policeman Monday night after hordes of reaction to police suspicion.
“They plan to break into the school overnight and fill the auditorium lunch with balloons, which is their scouting where they enter and exit the school,” Floyd said.
Their intrusion means repeatedly pulling the door open until it is opened, alerting the police, who fled the building. Surveillance video captures three people who walked through the building, sometimes alone, and then meet in conversation. After a while, the young Enumclaw student pulled out what looked like a pistol and pointed it to the corner of the corridor. It turned out that it was an airsoft. Floyd said the student was holding a plastic gun in his hand as they fled the building. Floyd appreciated that this wasn't worse, as it's hard to tell the difference between an actual gun and an airsoft gun in the darkness.
“He had that gun in his hand. Our officers were too far away to see that gun, but if that officer was faster, they were face to face, it could be bad. In the whole plan for high-level mischief,” Floyd said.
The 18-year-old was booked on charges of criminal trespass. The young student was arrested at school Tuesday and taken to the King County Juvenile Detention Center. Floyd is working with prosecutors, including the California Boy. The Enumclaw School District said students will face penalties under state law.
