UPDATE: Teen arrested for shooting threat at West Salem High School
This story was updated Friday evening with additional information from the Salem-Keizer School District and Polk County District Attorney Aaron Felton.
A 16-year-old West Salem High School Student has been arrested on firearm charges after the FBI on Thursday flagged a threat to carry out a shooting at West Salem High School.
Around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 4, the FBI alerted the Salem Police Department that the teenager had been researching school shootings, accessing materials related to firearm manufacturing and was “displaying concerning behaviors,” according to a statement from police spokesman Sgt. Jon Hardy.
The threat did not include specific plans to initiate, organize or carry out a shooting, and there was no direct threat made to the school’s graduation ceremony on Thursday evening, said Aaron Felton, Polk County’s district attorney, on Friday.
After investigators established the teen wasn’t at the high school Thursday afternoon, detectives surrounded a Southeast McGilchrist Street home. The teenager, who had been in an attached shed, surrendered without incident, according to police.
On Thursday, West Salem Principal Carlos Ruiz sent a message to staff and families informing them of the report, and saying it had been resolved.
“Earlier this morning, Salem Police informed us of a reported safety concern involving one of our students. While there were no specific details or threats, we take all such reports seriously and immediately engaged our district’s safety and security team and law enforcement partners,
Ruiz wrote.
He said that the increased security and law enforcement presence at the school on Thursday was “implemented out of an abundance of caution.”
The boy’s connection to the McGilchrist Street property couldn’t be readily established as authorities were releasing little information about the threat or the investigation.
The teenager is being held in the Yamhill County Juvenile Detention Center in McMinnville for state charges relating to manufacturing a firearm. The criminal charges will be prosecuted by the Polk County District Attorney’s Office.
Detectives worked with the Salem-Keizer School District to “ensure the safety of students and staff,” the release said. Representatives for the school district could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday afternoon about what precautions were taken at the school, such as a lockdown.
Felton declined to detail the charges the teen is facing, and said the ongoing investigation could change the number and types of charges filed.
Felton said he was alerted to the situation Thursday afternoon.
“This was isolated to one individual and there is not an ongoing threat to West Salem … or the community,” he said.
He also said he doesn’t want people feeling anxious or concerned about attending West Salem High School tonight for graduation, which was scheduled for 6:30 p.m., according to the school district’s website.
Hardy said that the incident was resolved through collaboration among law enforcement, school officials and community partners.
“Their coordinated efforts enabled rapid information sharing and ensured there was no imminent threat to schools or the community. Based on the information gathered, there is no ongoing threat related to this incident,” Hardy said.
The police department worked with the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“We are proud of our strong safety systems here in Salem-Keizer and our close and ongoing relationships with our law enforcement partners. These systems and relationships provide us with the ability to work together to proactively and appropriately respond to safety concerns, leading to safe resolutions like it did today,” school district spokeswoman Emily Reverman said in a statement.
Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].
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Abbey McDonald joined the Salem Reporter in 2022. She previously worked as the business reporter at The Astorian, where she covered labor issues, health care and social services. A University of Oregon grad, she has also reported for the Malheur Enterprise, The News-Review and Willamette Week.
Madeleine Moore joined Salem Reporter in 2024 and reports on a variety of topics including public safety, addiction, treatment and the criminal justice system. She came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
