Junction City student arrested after alleged gun threat; no weapons found

Junction City Police Chief Mark Waddell said officers and school staff arrested a Junction City High School student after investigating reports the student had threatened to bring a gun to campus. The investigation, conducted on Feb. 19, found the student was not on school grounds when officers and the high school resource officer made contact off campus, Waddell said.

Officers worked closely with school administrators to determine the student’s location before making contact, Waddell said. The juvenile was taken into custody and referred to Lane County Youth Services; police have not released any criminal charges. School and police officials have protected the subject’s identity under juvenile privacy rules.

Investigators searched the student’s room and backpack and interviewed family members as part of the probe, Waddell said. Those searches, together with statements from the student’s family, showed the youth did not have access to weapons at home, and no “hit list” was found during the investigation.

“Currently there is no known threat to our schools or to our community,” Waddell said, stressing that the department did not identify any weapons or an imminent plan to carry out harm. He added, “Anyone with information on this or any other threats are encouraged to report it to school or to law enforcement.”

Junction City High School’s resource officer participated in contacting the juvenile off campus, reflecting coordinated work between the district’s security staff and the Junction City Police Department. Officials have not indicated any on-campus lockdowns or injuries related to the Feb. 19 incident.

The school community has seen earlier threats in past years. Administrative staff reported a written threat in a school bathroom on Jan. 23, 2020 that read, “I'm gonna shoot up the school tomorrow at 0900 hours. Be ready.” That 2020 message prompted a separate police investigation at the time and remains part of the district’s history of responding to threats.

As the Feb. 19 investigation remains closed to new officers, Lane County Youth Services has custody-related responsibility for the juvenile’s case under youth procedures. Chief Waddell urged anyone with additional information to contact school officials or law enforcement so investigators can address outstanding questions about motive, access, and any potential follow-up actions.