News Flash

An arrest has been made for Criminal Trespass First Degree, a gross misdemeanor, in an incident that caused the Sequim High School to go into lockdown mode on Thursday, May 10, 2018.

Jason Spaulding entered the building at 8:25 a.m. and went to a classroom where his son may have been attending class. Spaulding had been banned from the Sequim High School on December 15, 2017, for a period of four years, due to a disturbance he caused at that time. A teacher recognized Spaulding and notified administrative office personnel, who initiated the lockdown and notified police.

Spaulding did not enter the classroom, and it is believed that he left the building upon hearing of the lockdown and prior to the police arrival.

Sequim Police Officers arrived on the scene at 8:28 a.m. and cleared the school building and classrooms with the assistance of school staff. The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the effort by checking the school parking lots for Spaulding and his vehicle.
The lockdown ended at 8:49 a.m., when it was determined Spaulding was no longer in the area.

Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Spaulding without incident at 1:15 p.m., when he arrived at the Clallam County Courthouse for an unrelated matter. Spaulding posted $1000 bail and was released shortly after he was booked into the Clallam County Jail. He is ordered to appear in District Court on Friday, May 11, 2018.

There is no indication that Spaulding was armed at any time during the incident, nor did a SWAT Team respond to the school, which had been incorrectly reported on social media platforms.

The Sequim Police Department extends their appreciation to the parents who had been notified by their children attending school, but refrained from entering the campus. This allowed police to search for Spaulding in a more timely fashion without unnecessary interference. The Police Department cautions the public to resist the temptation to believe what they are seeing on social media or subscription information sources while an incident is occurring. In many cases this information has not been vetted for accuracy and does not come from an official source.

For more information, please contact the Sequim Police Department at (360) 683-7227.