Richland schools reopen after lockdowns. The shooting happened somewhere else

Several Richland schools were reopened from a brief lockdown Thursday after police discovered a wounded teen had been shot elsewhere.

Richland police were initially called about noon after the girl showed up at a Richland hospital with a gunshot injury.

Officers were initially told that the shooting took place along Thayer Drive directly in front of Richland High School, according to dispatch reports.

That led officers and the Richland School District to place Richland High School, Carmichael Middle School, River’s Edge, Marcus Whitman Elementary, Lewis & Clark Elementary, Jason Lee Elementary and Three Rivers HomeLink in critical lockdowns.

Christ the King School was locked down as well.

As police investigated, they didn’t find any signs of a shooting, and then learned it happened in an unincorporated part of Benton County, Richland police said in a Facebook post.

Initial reports were that it happened near Benton City.

They’ve handed the investigation over to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. The teen is expected to recover from the wound and police said she was not a Richland student.

This story was originally published May 4, 2023 at 12:47 PM.