KENNEWICK — Seven students from Park Middle School have been caught possessing and buying marijuana from an adult who lives within 1,000 feet of their Kennewick school, police reported Thursday.

A police investigation began just before 10 a.m. Wednesday at the school after students were caught with marijuana, said Kennewick officer Tony Valdez.

School staff and security recognized the smell of marijuana in a student's locker because of ongoing drug training within the school district, Valdez said.

A joint investigation with officers and school officials identified three 13-year-old boys, two 12-year-old boys, a 12-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy as being involved with possessing and purchasing pot, Valdez said.

Some of the students were only indirectly involved, he said. Two students were cited for possessing marijuana, then released to their parents, he said.

The marijuana reportedly had been purchased from Justin D. Dixon, 21, who lives in an apartment at 1114 W. 10th Ave. The apartment is within 1,000 feet of the school, Valdez said.

Detectives with the Criminal Apprehension Team got a warrant to search Dixon's apartment and arrested his girlfriend, Ashley J. Holcroft, 21, on an outstanding warrant.

Drugs also were seized from the apartment, police reported.

When officers served a second warrant at an apartment at 1212 W. 10th Ave., they found Dixon there and arrested him.

Dixon was booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of delivering marijuana with an enhancement for being near a school.

Another man contacted in the apartment, Jon Devin Miller Jr., 24, was cited for possessing marijuana under 40 grams and released, Valdez said.