Police: Student, 13, falsely accused classmate of making threat

SNOHOMISH — A 13-year-old student could face criminal charges for accusing a classmate of threatening a shooting at a Maltby-area middle school last week.

On Thursday evening, Snohomish County sheriff’s deputies investigated a report of a threat to Hidden River Middle School in the Monroe School District. The student alleged someone with a blocked phone number had called to say there would be a shooting at the school the next day, according to the sheriff’s office. The student identified a classmate as the caller.

But phone records told a different story.

Deputies reportedly found the 13-year-old student hadn’t gotten any incoming calls from a blocked number. And the classmate didn’t make any calls to the reporting student.

The accused classmate didn’t make any threat, deputies determined. The sheriff’s office referred its findings to prosecutors, who will decide on false reporting charges.

The news comes after several threats to schools across Snohomish County in the wake of a shooting at a Michigan high school that left four dead. A sheriff’s office spokesperson said Friday that deputies investigated four threats against schools in just 48 hours.

A 14-year-old boy was charged with six felonies for threatening three Mukilteo schools. He reportedly told police he thought it was funny and didn’t mean to harm anyone.

Everett police also referred to prosecutors findings from an investigation into a 12-year-old boy threatening North Middle School last week.

A rumor circulating on social media alleged a threat of violence at Monroe High School on Monday. Police determined there was no credible threat.

That same day, a reported threat led to increased security on campus at Brier Terrace Middle School.