A Kennewick high school locked down after reports of gun nearby

The doors of Kamiakin High School were closed for a time Thursday morning after a youth brandished a gun at someone walking by a nearby apartment complex. It was later found to be a BB gun.

Police scrambled to the Paxton Apartments at 720 Arthur St. at 9 a.m. after someone reported a teenage boy had a pistol. The teen reportedly didn’t point the gun, but the person called 911, according to dispatch reports.

They asked the high school to move into “secure and teach” while they investigated, according to dispatch reports.

The status requires students to leave hallways, and exterior doors may be locked while students continue their classes, according to the Kennewick School District website.

Kennewick police searched the apartment complex and found a group of teens. They learned that it was a BB gun that looked like a real pistol.

“Officers recognized this incident was directly next to Kamiakin High School and responded quickly,” a Kennewick police Facebook post said. “There is no danger to the public or the school, this incident was unfounded.”