Facebook/Highline College
Highline College in Des Moines, Washington, is on lockdown after reports of “shots fired.” One student tweeted that he heard between six and eight gunshots as he walking to class just after 9 a.m. on February 16. The town of Des Moines is located just under 20 miles north of Tacoma. According to the Renton Police Department, their officers as well as other agencies are responding to the school but as yet, no shooting has been confirmed. The Kent Police Department has said that officers are investigating the reports as an “illegal discharge” and that no injuries have been reported or weapons been recovered. The South King Fire Department has said that there are no known victims at the school. A press conference later confirmed that nobody had been injured at the school and no shots had been fired.
In a Facebook status update, the school said, “Lockdown: This is not a drill. Lockdown: This is not a drill. Close doors, close windows. Police are responding to campus. Do not come to campus if you are on your way.” KOMO News reporter Carleen Johnson has referred to the shots as being “fired near campus.” KIRO 7 later reported that an outreach center that is not on campus but is leased by the school was being evacuated.
Lock down at Highline College after reports of shots fired near campus. Updates @komonews
Highline College, founded in 1961, is a community college that is “nationally and internationally recognized as a premier community college, a reputation earned through the development of an institutional culture that values innovation, globalization of curriculum and community participation,” according to the school’s Facebook page. It was the first of its kind in Kings County, Washington. The school’s website says that there are 17,000 students enrolled.
Reports of this shooting come two days after 17 people were killed in the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting. That attack was followed by a litany of purported copycats and hoaxes.
Screengrab via KOMO
This is a breaking story so stay tuned for updates.
