The Tumwater Police Department said officers received reports Monday morning of a juvenile heading toward Tumwater Middle School armed with a handgun. It turned out to be a toy, police said.
School administration sent an email to families at 8 a.m., which was obtained by The Olympian. It says the school went into a lockout. Students on site were brought into the school, then all exterior doors were locked. Those who were on buses weren't allowed to get off until the situation had been cleared.
Police said a School Resource Officer was on campus, and they were assisted by additional Tumwater police officers.
The juvenile was located soon after being reported, and police found that he had a toy that looked like a handgun. The police department said at no time were any threats made to the school or any students.
The email from the school district said the incident should be seen as a learning opportunity for everyone.
"This is a great learning opportunity for us of the importance of 'See Something, Say Something' and that even a 'joke' can create a large disruption to the school process," the email said
