Richland school lockdowns linked to girl who shot herself. But police found much more

A man is in jail after a shooting led to the lockdown of several Richland schools Thursday, and an investigation continues into drug sales to students.

At least eight schools in Richland were locked down after a girl showed up at a Richland hospital with gunshot wounds.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported Friday that a 15-year-old girl had shot herself twice, but the wounds were not life-threatening.

The girl, who was not a Richland School District student, was released from the hospital after treatment, according to the sheriff’s office.

Initially, law enforcement believed that the shooting took place in front of Richland High School, according to dispatch reports.

But as police investigated, they didn’t find any signs of a shooting. They then learned it happened in an unincorporated area of Benton County, Richland police said on social media.

Friday, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office reported that the shooting happened in a home on the 30000 block of Kennedy Road between Richland and Benton City.

The Tri-City Metro Drug Task had been investigating a convicted felon who stayed there and was suspected of delivering drugs to middle school students, according to the sheriff’s office.

A search of the home turned up guns and evidence of drug trafficking, it said.

One man was arrested and booked into the Benton County jail on suspicion of several counts of unlawful gun possession, according to the sheriff’s office.

Although the sheriff’s office did not release the name of the man arrested, Jeffrey Kyle Hearn, 42, was booked on investigation of four felony counts of unlawful possession of a firearm Thursday night. Bail was set at $75,000.

The illegal drug investigation is continuing with Benton County detectives assisting task force detectives, said officials.

This story was originally published May 6, 2023 at 4:33 PM.