Police search for student involved in ‘disturbance’ near Southridge High

Police are actively investigating a “disturbance” that occurred Monday morning between two youths at a bus stop near Southridge High School.

Kennewick Police Commander Isaac Merkl said officers were dispatched at 10:50 a.m. to an incident involving a student and expelled student.

According to dispatch traffic, the expelled student was allegedly waving around a knife and threatening people before he got on a bus headed toward Plaza Way.

A school resource officer arrived at the bus stop in front of the school 2 minutes later, but the expelled student had already left. Merkl said they were actively searching the area for the individual to talk with them.

This story was originally published January 5, 2026 at 1:27 PM.

Eric Rosane

Tri-City Herald

509-380-9121

Eric Rosane is the Tri-City Herald’s Civic Accountability Reporter focused on Education and Local Government. Before coming to the Herald in February 2022, he worked at the Daily Chronicle in Lewis County covering schools, floods, fish, dams and the Legislature. He graduated from Central Washington University in 2018.  Support my work with a digital subscription