Local
Rochester teen returned to detention after sheriff cites breakdown in threat response
A 15-year-old suspected in a credible threat of gun violence was briefly released after juvenile services declined to book him on a misdemeanor. Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders said the office failed to escalate the matter; the Rochester-Centralia football game is scheduled to resume Monday with increased law enforcement presence.
A 15-year-old is in juvenile detention after a suspected threat of gun violence led to the cancellation of a Rochester High School senior-night football game and exposed a communication failure inside the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Derek Sanders said Sunday.
The threat was reported Friday, and a school resource officer assigned to the Rochester School District began investigating. The sheriff’s office said investigators considered the threat credible, though some people declined to cooperate.
Deputies established probable cause to arrest the teen on suspicion of disturbing school activities, a misdemeanor. Washington State Patrol troopers later found him during a traffic stop and transferred him to sheriff’s deputies, who took him to Youth Services.
The facility initially declined to book him because the misdemeanor did not meet its usual booking threshold. The teen was released, and deputies did not seek further escalation at that point, Sanders said. He said he was not told about the release when it happened.
After learning late Saturday night that the teen was no longer in custody, Sanders contacted Youth Services. The facility agreed to accept the teen if the circumstances were documented in the booking paperwork. Sanders directed deputies to locate him; they found him within about 30 minutes and returned him to juvenile detention.
Sanders took responsibility for what he called a breakdown in communication and said the sheriff’s office would review its procedures to ensure similar cases are escalated appropriately. The investigation is ongoing.
The Rochester School District rescheduled the game against Centralia for Monday at 6 p.m. at Rochester High School. The sheriff’s office said law enforcement will have a greater presence at the game.