Puyallup teacher arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot and kill students
UPDATE: ‘I’m gonna shoot the kids:’ Puyallup teacher charged in threat upset over PTSD claim
A Puyallup teacher was arrested Wednesday after allegedly making threats to shoot and kill students.
The 58-year-old woman, who teaches math at Emerald Ridge High School, was booked into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of making threats to bomb or injure property.
District officials put her on administrative leave Tuesday after learning about the incident.
Pierce County sheriff’s deputies spoke with the woman Wednesday morning at her home.
“She didn’t back down from the threats so we arrested her,” sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said.
The threats were made off-campus to another adult, who was concerned enough to call authorities.
Investigators are unsure what prompted the threat and said the teacher did not mention particular students by name.
A search of the Puyallup house shared by the teacher and her husband did not immediately turn up weapons.
District officials declined to say how long the teacher has been employed but released a statement.
“Making threats against the safety of students and staff is a felony crime and taken very seriously by Puyallup School District,” it read.
This story was originally published November 13, 2019 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Puyallup teacher arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot and kill students."
