Update 7:30 p.m. Monday: After seeing the comment from tictaks, below this post, I called SKSD Superintendent Dave LaRose for a correction/ clarification. I have altered this post to reflect his comments, noting information that was erroneous.
Ten people were detained and five (updated from four as of 3:20 p.m.) are going to jail after a standoff at a house in the 4400 block of Sidney Road SW this morning, according to Kitsap County Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Scott Wilson.
According to Wilson, sheriff’s deputies arrived at the home around 9:27 a.m. to serve an arrest warrant on one of the occupants. At 10:04 a.m., a deputy positioned at the back door of the home saw a gun tossed out of the house and into the bushes. As a precaution, the deputies on site called for back-ups, Wilson said, and because some of the the residents did not leave the building immediately on being ordered to do so, a SWAT team was called in.
At that time, Wilson said, a deputy went to nearby Sidney Glen Elementary School to fill school officials in on the situation. Sheriff’s Office staff advised school administrators that the situation was “under control and contained,” Wilson said. The Sheriff’s Office recommendation was that a lock-down was their option, Wilson said.
Administrators at the school took precautions as school let out, in light of the law enforcement activity, according the South Kitsap School District spokeswoman Aimee Warthen. The school had a “staggered release” (half-day since it is the last day of school). Buses were allowed to leave, but students who are normally picked up by their parents were kept inside the building until after the buses had left. Students who normally walk home from school were escorted by staff members to locations where their parents could meet them, Warthen said.
According to SKSD Superintendent Dave LaRose, students were escorted to buses and to their parents waiting in the parking lot in small groups to allow for greater supervision and control. Students walking to the daycare across the street were escorted. The extra precautions did not significantly delay dismissal, LaRose said.
Cedar Heights Junior High School, also on Sidney Road but within City of Port Orchard limits, was not affected by the stand-off said Port Orchard Police Chief Al Townsend.
The district asked its school resource officer, a member of the Port Orchard Police Department, to maintain a presence near the site of the stand-off to supervise any students walking from Cedar Heights or Sidney Glen, LaRose said.
This map of the area shows the approximate location of the house where the stand-off occurred. Sidney Glen Elementary School is located on Sidney Road SW, between Birch Ave. and Glenwood Road SW. As a result of Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office activity, the road was closed between 11:50 a.m. and 1:42 p.m. (except to local traffic) between Berry Lake Road and close to Glenwood Road SW.
Chris, my child’s class and others absolutely *were* let out before the buses were let out. She was waiting for me when I got there at the curb as usual.
I’m not sure if the distinction between before and after the buses were let out anyway…since the fact was the kids were let out of the school while the standoff was happening. Just because the situation is currently under control doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a threat of violence or possibly someone fleeing the house thruogh school property. The only thing seperating the kids from the situation was a (low) chain link fence.
I saw many unescorted children leaving hte school on foot headed right towards the stand off as i was leaveing the school after picking up my girls. Busses were still loading and my child was standing outside waiting for me. I was suprised that the were letting the kids out like they did.
We were totally reliant on the Police officers to give us the go ahead to release students. When they said it was time to go, we complied. Their report was that the situation was under control. My opinion is that if they had already taken 10 people into custody, it was the safest day ever to walk past that property. BTW any kids walking that direction would have had to get past the largest contingent of law officers ever seen on that stretch of road. So.. no, maybe the timings were not reported 100% accurately, but the safety of kids was never an issue. Have a great summer.