3 Southridge teens arrested after threats and a scuffle with school administrators

Three Southridge students are in custody after a series of threats ended with students fighting with administrators.

Problems started at the high school during lunchtime on Monday when the four teens cornered another student and threatened to attack him, said a Kennewick police news release.

A school resource officer from the police department was called in by school officials to investigate what happened.

After the officer discovered the threats were credible, he arrested the alleged ringleader just before lunch on Tuesday.

“During lunch, staff members observed two of the students from the previous day follow and harass the original victim,” police said.

School administrators stepped between the two 16-year-olds and the other student, and ordered them to back off.

The students didn’t listen and tried to push past the administrators to get at the victim, said police.

The scuffle created a “significant disturbance,” and school staff called 911, police said.

The two students left the school as Kennewick officers and Benton County sheriff’s deputies were on their way. School staff members followed the students and reported their location to police.

When officers arrived, the two were detained.

All three were booked into the Benton-Franklin Juvenile Detention Center in Kennewick.

The suspected ringleader is under investigation for criminal mischief, and the other two are being held on suspicion of criminal mischief, disrupting a school activity, failing to obey a school official and disorderly conduct.

Just last week another Southridge High 16-year-old was arrested after he brought a gun to school and it was spotted by another student.

This story was originally published September 20, 2022 at 4:30 PM.