In a response to threats made over social media, Bellevue Police arrested two juvenile suspects early last week. The arrests came after three juvenile girls reported receiving repeated death threats.
Early last week, the Bellevue Police Department was alerted by three females about threats they had received from two suspects, a female and a male juvenile. The victims disclosed that the suspects had threatened to shoot them at their respective high schools—Newport High School, Sammamish High School, and Bellevue High School—scheduled for Tuesday, June 4th.
According to the victims, the male suspect waved what appeared to be a firearm and displayed ammunition loaded in a magazine on video. As the threats continued over the weekend, the victims became convinced of the danger that they were in.
Officers were quickly able to establish probable cause and subsequently arrest both juvenile suspects. Police searched the female suspect’s residence in Bellevue, with the assistance of the Issaquah Police Department. The parents of the male suspect told police that both suspects were inside, however refused to grant officers access.
However, before a warrant could be obtained, the female suspect attempted to flee through the back door of the residence, leading to her prompt arrest. Officers then apprehended the male suspect without incident. A subsequent search of the residence uncovered multiple firearms and ammunition.
“All of us – young people, parents, and everyone in the community – need to take threats of violence seriously, but especially threats of gun violence – whether it’s in person or online,” said Shelby Shearer, Captain of the Bellevue Police Department. “Fortunately, with timely and critical help from the community, the Bellevue PD was able to interrupt this escalation of threats, get the two people making them into custody, and get their firearms away from them before we had a tragedy in our community.”
While the investigation remains ongoing, Bellevue Police have clarified that there is no indication to suggest the threats were random or that there is an ongoing threat to the community related to this particular incident.
