Harsimran Bagri, 24, right, and Gurkeert Bagri, 26, left, hug their 16-year-old sister, center, who was inside the college during the lockdown on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, outside of Highline College in Des Moines. CREDIT: KUOW PHOTO/MEGAN FARMER

‘All Clear’ For Highline College After Lockdown Draws Large Emergency Response

By Zachary Garner February 16, 2018

Highline College has been given the all-clear following reports of gunfire on campus Friday morning.

The school went on lockdown shortly after 9 a.m. Highline, located in Des Moines between Seattle and Tacoma, warned incoming students to stay away from campus through Facebook and automated phone recordings. Multiple police and emergency agencies, including the FBI, ATF and Washington State Patrol, and local police departments, responded to the incident, physically searching the entire campus.

Following the high school shooting in Parkland, Florida two days earlier in which 17 people were killed, authorities said they responded as if it were an active shooter situation.

Kyle Ohashi with Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority told KUOW that no victims or other evidence of a shooting on campus were found, including shell casings or holes in walls. The lockdown was lifted after nearly three hours.

Students and family were directed to a reunification site set up in a nearby Lowe’s parking lot, and classes were cancelled for the remainder of the day.

The Seattle Times said no injuries were reported, but two students were treated for asthma-related conditions and anxiety.

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PBS Newshour July 17, 2019

Bump stocks like this one installed on an AK-47 are now illegal in the U.S., after the Trump administration changed how they are legally defined. The devices can allow a semi-automatic rifle to fire nearly as fast as a machine gun. George Frey/Getty Images

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NPR News March 26, 2019

As the anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida approaches, Washington officials are looking at numerous new school safety measures. Here Seattle students observed a moment of silence during the March 14, 2018 school walkout. CREDIT: MEGAN FARMER/KUOWAs the anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida approaches, Washington officials are looking at numerous new school safety measures. Here Seattle students observed a moment of silence during the March 14, 2018 school walkout. CREDIT: MEGAN FARMER/KUOW

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Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day, marks the one-year anniversary of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. And school safety is high on the legislative agenda in Washington state this year. There are bills for more police officers and mental health staff in schools, and to help schools better prepare for emergencies. Continue Reading School Shootings Are Rare, But Threats And Lockdowns Are Not. Families Say That Takes A Toll

Amy Radil February 12, 2019