Richland High locked down, student arrested after a tip about a gun on campus

Richland High School was locked down for nearly a half-hour Monday morning while police arrested a student outside on a tip they had a gun.

Police found the student was concealing a “very realistic” BB gun in his pants.

The lockdown was lifted and classes resumed by 10:45 a.m. No one was reported injured.

“We are really appreciative of the quick actions of our school staff, our students and for our ongoing collaboration with the Richland Police Department,” district Spokesperson Shawna Dinh told the Tri-City Herald.

Dinh said the student made no threats before being detained.

School staff contacted police around 10:15 a.m. after receiving an anonymous tip and went into a lockdown a couple minutes later.

Police contacted the student outside the building and arrested them.

“Officers removed a very realistic BB gun from the suspect’s waistband at the time of arrest,” read a statement from the Richland Police Department.

The student was booked into the Benton Franklin Juvenile Justice Center on suspicion of possessing a dangerous weapon on school property and was expelled from Richland High School, police said.