Prosser explosive was 1 of several threats Tuesday

Prosser police will have a heavy presence at the high school Wednesday after a small explosive was found near a portable classroom Tuesday, sending the campus into a lockdown.

It was one of several threats made at schools around the Mid-Columbia, including in Kennewick, on Tuesday. But the Prosser incident was the most serious.

A student discovered the device outside the portable at 7:10 a.m. and took it to the school’s security office, said Prosser Officer Mark Cole.

The object was described as 3 inches long and 1 inch wide, and covered with black tape.

It was later found to contain explosives but the details were not made public.

The high school’s 850 students were evacuated and taken by school bus to the Housel Middle School gym at 8:20 a.m. while law enforcement officials checked the school and the grounds.

The Richland bomb squad was called to remove the device.

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is now examining the explosive.

Prosser police and Benton County sheriff’s deputies searched the school grounds for any other devices, and a bomb-sniffing dog from the Hanford Patrol was brought in to check the area.

The middle and elementary schools also were locked down for most of the morning as a precaution, the school district said.

After the school was cleared, about 100 students returned to classes.

District officials applauded the student for reporting the suspicious package.

“Thank you to that student for doing what we ask, ‘See something. Say something,’” the school district said on its Facebook page. “Our first priority is always student and staff safety.”

Some parents raised concerns after seeing police on the scene when they were dropping off students.

District officials said they will review the response to see if any improvements could be made to the process.

School officials could not be reached later for more information.

Any parent with concerns can contact the district office at 509-786-3323.

The scare was one of several threats Tuesday.

Kennewick High School officials discovered a handwritten note in a textbook that included a threat to shoot students Wednesday .

“Kennewick police were immediately notified and have determined that it is not a credible threat,” the school district said on its website.

Increased police presence also is expected at the school Wednesday.

Grandview School District officials discovered a threat scrawled on a wall in the high school bathroom around 12:40 p.m. The school went into a lockdown until 1:22 p.m.

The discovery was made a day after four students were arrested for threatening to shoot up the school.

A similar threat discovered at Sunnyside High School around 12:22 p.m. sent that school into lockdown, as well. The school stayed that way until the end of the day.

This story was originally published February 27, 2018 at 8:32 AM with the headline "Prosser explosive was 1 of several threats Tuesday."