Chimacum schools go into temporary lockdown after former student returns with a knife

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The Chimacum School campus went into lockdown for approximately 10 minutes Tuesday, May 30, when a former “middle school-age” student who had been barred from the campus showed up on campus with a knife. He was apprehended by Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies on the sidewalk outside, according to Chimacum Superintendent Rick Thompson.

Thompson said that the former student had been at Echo Glen Children's Center in Snoqualmie, a medium-to-maximum security juvenile rehabilitation institution.

“He left there this past weekend, and the father left messages with our school to let us know,” Thompson said. “This student was not to attend our school, and not to be on our campus. He has a history here.”

Thompson said that school staff noticed the former student on campus, but outside the school, and called 911 immediately. The superintendent praised both the school staff and the sheriff's deputies for their prompt responses on the scene.

“The former student did, unfortunately, brandish a knife,” said Thompson, who added that the student's father and the school principal were there to help deal with him, while three deputies counseled him.

“He consented to be arrested, and was placed in one of the deputies' vehicles,” Thompson said. “His father was very responsible and helpful throughout this process, and the principal responded perfectly. Everyone reacted appropriately to the former student.”

The Chimacum campus was on lockdown from 1:15 to approximately 1:25 p.m., and the district posted a notice of the lockdown on its website.

Thompson expects to engage in much more communication with the community about this issue throughout the week and beyond.