Arlington student who brought loaded gun to school will not return

Published 3:10 pm Tuesday, August 26, 2025

ARLINGTON — Plans to have an expelled Arlington High School student — arrested for bringing a loaded gun to school in February 2024 — return to school this fall won’t happen after all.

The initial decision, which school officials say adheres to state law, was first made public Thursday by a YouTube video from conservative political commentator Brandi Kruse. In the video, Kruse said the student would be returning to school on Sept. 3.

News of the video drew an angry response from parents who took to social media to voice their displeasure and also packed the Arlington Public Schools Board meeting room — and an overflow room — Monday to face school board members.

“I’m baffled and I’m outraged,” said Arlington parent Rob Marchand in an interview Friday. “How can they come to this kind of a decision? And for what? One student over the 1,600 others?”

Even after learning the student would not return to AHS, parents were unhappy with the lack of communication with the school board.

“I just think there was a major lack of transparency,” said Arlington parent Chad Schmidt in an interview after the Monday school board meeting. “I think it’s shameful that it got to a point of them having to publicly embarrass themselves to make this decision.”

Parents were not notified earlier because of student privacy laws, said Gary Sabol, spokesperson for Arlington Public Schools. “We are prohibited from sharing any sort of discipline that may result from something that takes place in schools.”

“I have to follow state laws, too. There are plenty of other options,” said Schmidt, the fire chief for Snohomish County Fire District 21. “They’ve been so non-transparent that it’s hard to know how this whole thing actually went down.”

Before Monday’s meeting, Arlington Public Schools Superintendent Chrys Sweeting met with family members and the student. They agreed he will not be returning to AHS.

The controversy stems from February 2024 when school officials found a 9mm Beretta handgun — with one round in the chamber and at least 10 in the magazine with the safety off — in the 15-year-old’s backpack along with a second magazine, court records said. He was booked into the Denney Juvenile Justice Center for investigation of possessing dangerous weapons on school facilities, unlawful firearm possession and carrying a concealed firearm, authorities said at the time.

In July 2024, the student pleaded guilty to one count of juvenile in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to six months of community service and mandatory counseling, records said.

Afterwards, the student participated in online schooling through the Arlington Online Program, Sabol said.

In allowing the student to return to school, officials said state law requires districts “to make reasonable efforts to return the student to the student’s regular educational setting as soon as possible.” Under the law, districts must create a safety plan and a threat assessment.

In an email to Arlington parent Emily Hutchenson, Sweeting said, “The district has completed a level 1 threat assessment and a safety plan for the student in question will be implemented.”

“We’ve been doing threat assessments in Arlington since 2019,” Sabol said. “They’ve been very effective in curbing some of these things.”

According to Sabol, the safety plan would include a dedicated staff member to monitor the student throughout the school day. The staff member would walk with the student and sit with him while in class. Also, the student would not be allowed a cell phone or a backpack, would be searched every day for weapons and would not be allowed on school grounds outside of the regular school day.

State law also requires districts create a reengagement plan with the student and their parents that takes into account “the nature and circumstances of the incident that led to the student’s suspension or expulsion,” the law says.

Sabol told the Herald that the reengagement plan was ongoing over the weekend. Sweeting and the family had not made the final decision until the Monday meeting.

“I’m relieved the student won’t be coming back,” Sabol said in an interview during the school board meeting. “I think it will keep him safe. It will keep other students safe as well as our staff.”

Due to state and federal student privacy laws, he could not say whether the student would attend another school or participate in online learning.

Sabol encourages the public to contact their state legislature if they would like to see laws changed. A petition filed by a parent asked to “prevent students with criminal records from attending Arlington High School.” It received over 1,300 signatures.

“We take concerns like this very seriously,” Sabol said. “We also encourage folks, if they have any concerns, to reach out to their school admin.” The Arlington School District also has a safe schools tip line at asd-wa.safeschoolsalert.com.

Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; X: @BTayOkay