A Pierce County juvenile court judge ruled Thursday that a 14-year-old accused of bringing a loaded firearm to Graham-Kapowsin High School will remain in custody pending further proceedings.
The incident on Wednesday prompted lockdowns at three Bethel School District campuses after the teenager was discovered with a gun in his backpack during the first day of school. Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy Carly Cappetto confirmed the boy was not a student at Graham-Kapowsin High School but was found in the hallway.
Campus security alerted a school resource officer who confronted the teenager. The boy attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended by the officer and security personnel. A search revealed a firearm in his backpack with a round in the chamber and two additional rounds in the magazine.
Commissioner Lise Schumacher found probable cause to proceed with charges of unlawful firearm possession and possessing dangerous weapons on school facilities. The teenager pleaded not guilty to both counts but will remain incarcerated based on the severity of the allegations and public safety concerns.
“Given the seriousness of the allegations as well as concerns for public safety, I think it is imperative that he remain incarcerated at this time,” Schumacher stated. The judge also considered the defendant’s criminal history, including a previous attempted robbery charge.
Three other Graham-Kapowsin students were reportedly involved in the incident. Investigators are examining their relationship to the accused and their actions leading up to the arrest.
Parent Shannon Zimmerly described her distress at witnessing armed deputies respond whilst collecting her daughter from school. “It feels like they fall into that category of just giving us lip service, not really giving us any sort of guarantee that when we take our children to school, even for an hour at a time, that something isn’t going to pop off,” she said.
The lockdown affected Graham-Kapowsin High School, Frontier Middle School, and Nelson Elementary School. District officials praised the swift response from Pierce County Sheriff’s Department and school resource officers, noting the coordinated response may have prevented a dangerous situation.
Deputy Cappetto emphasised that the district followed proper protocols during the emergency. The sheriff’s department regularly trains with school districts on lockdown procedures and threat response, she noted.
The teenager is scheduled to return to court on September 11, when the judge will review whether to continue detention or allow home monitoring. The school district is conducting its own investigation in partnership with the sheriff’s department and plans to communicate safety reminders to district families.
The incident occurred on the same day as a school shooting in Minnesota, heightening awareness about campus security and the importance of reporting suspicious activity to trusted adults.
