Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2013 | 5:22 p.m.
BATTLE GROUND, Wash. — A 13-year-old boy was arrested today following threats that prompted the closure of six southwest Washington schools, police said.
The closures affected nearly 4,300 students.
Multiple, written threats that police described as credible had been made Tuesday against Chief Umtuch Middle School in the city of Battle Ground. The boy is a student at that school, Battle Ground police Sgt. Aaron Kanooth said in a statement.
"Officers have determined that the suspect did not possess the means to carry out any of the threats that were made," Kanooth said, adding there is no evidence anyone else was involved.
Police interviewed the boy, seized his computer and released him to the custody of his parents, Kanooth said.
The police investigation will be forwarded to the Clark County juvenile prosecutor with a recommendation for charges of felony harassment, the sergeant said. Police did not release the teen's name.
The five Battle Ground schools that closed Wednesday as a precaution will reopen Thursday, school district spokesman Gregg Herrington said.
Chief Umtuch was closed, as were four other schools on the same campus.
A nearby private school also closed today as a precaution. A spokeswoman for that school did not immediately return a phone call.
Battle Ground is part of the Portland, Ore.-Vancouver metro area. It has a population of about 18,000.
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