Massive alarm but no arrests

Area schools

locked down

after scare

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

POST FALLS — A social media message allegedly sent from a 19-year-old Post Falls man to a 19-year-old Spokane man that had a photo of a handgun and named Seltice Elementary as the place to settle a dispute over a female prompted the three local districts to lock down schools Tuesday afternoon.

The Post Falls man was released after being questioned by investigators at the Post Falls Police Department later in the day.

"The man willingly came in to talk to us, and no crime was committed that we found," Post Falls police Capt. Greg McLean said. "This was a beef between two individuals, and one felt the other disrespected the female."

McLean said the Post Falls man told detectives he originally tried to contact the other male in Spokane, but when the Spokane man couldn't be found the request was made to meet at Seltice Elementary.

Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug said he didn't know why Seltice was specified as the meeting spot. The meeting never took place at the school, he said.

"For some reason that location was picked, and that set everything (with the school lockdowns) into motion," Haug said.

The Post Falls man, who recently moved to the area, cooperated with police during the investigation, Haug said.

"We called him on his cell phone, he answered and agreed to come in," he said. "He said, 'I'll be there in 15 minutes and he showed up in 15 minutes.'"

McLean said the initial investigation revealed that no written threats where made. The message contained the photo of the handgun and specified Seltice as the meeting place to resolve the dispute.

Haug said the Spokane man was also contacted as part of the investigation.

McLean said no threat was made against the school or students. He said the lockdowns of Seltice, Mullan Trail and Frederick Post Kindergarten were lifted after about a half an hour.

"Mullan Trail and Frederick Post were locked down as a precaution due to their proximity to Seltice," McLean said.

Post Falls School Superintendent Jerry Keane said the order was based on information that the police received from a third party who indicated that two men were planning to meet at the Seltice school parking lot with the potential of doing harm to one another.

"The police were able to determine that the alleged meeting was not taking place and the individuals in question were not in the area," said a statement on the Post Falls School District website. "While it was determined early on that no students or staff were in danger, the decision was made to err on the side of safety."

The incident also prompted lockdowns in the Coeur d'Alene and Lakeland school districts from about 2:15 p.m. to as late as 3:45 p.m., depending on the location, until the situation was determined to be safe by law enforcement.

Lisa Sexton, Lakeland assistant superintendent, said Athol Elementary was locked down slightly longer than other schools in the district until it was determined the person of interest wasn't in that area.

As a result of the alleged incident occurring near the end of the school day, buses ran from 10 minutes to an hour late, depending on the location and district. Some Lakeland families were advised to pick up their students rather than walk home if they didn't ride the bus.

"We're grateful that law enforcement was proactive and called as soon as there was a potential concern," Sexton said.

The incident came less than a week after a Freeman High student allegedly opened fire at his Washington school, killing a classmate and injuring three others before being arrested.

"Everybody is sensitive after the Freeman incident," said Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Detective Dennis Stinebaugh.