Lapwai schools remain closed

Schools in Lapwai will remain closed today as the investigation continues into threats against the school.

In a livestream video posted to the Nez Perce Tribe Facebook page, officials from the Nez Perce Tribe, Nez Perce Tribal Police and Lapwai School District spoke at a meeting Thursday afternoon to update members of the community on the recent threats of school violence in Lapwai.

Nez Perce Tribal Police Capt. Leotis McCormack, who is leading the investigation for the department, shared an update on the case. After a threat that was determined not valid Monday night, law enforcement presence was available at Lapwai elementary and high school and Nez Perce Tribe Head Start on Tuesday. That morning, the schools received a phone call from a person who was making threats of shooting violence in the elementary school. Law enforcement, already at the scene, provided immediate response and officials placed the school on lockdown.

Protocols were followed to sweep the school for threats from inside. When it was determined no threats were inside the school, the response was elevated to a lockout to prevent any threats from coming into the school, McCormack said.

Schools were then evacuated without incident. Classes and after-school activities have been canceled since Tuesday. Schools at Culdesac were also placed on lockdown because of the proximity to Lapwai, according to Kayeloni Scott, communications manager for the Nez Perce Tribe.

Nez Perce Tribal Police, along with the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho State Patrol and the FBI, are investigating the threat and the individual who made the call. McCormack said the investigation is ongoing so there’s a limited amount of information that can be shared.

He asked for patience as the investigation continues. “We do apologize we can’t provide the answers we know you deserve and that you want at this time,” McCormack said.

“We want to give a tremendous shoutout to the school staff for their ability to stay calm and trust everybody that was on scene working together, communicating, even going outside of their comfort zone to make sure your kiddos were safe,” he said, pausing as his voice broke with emotion. McCormack apologized, saying officers don’t get time to process during high-stress situations. “This is the first time I really had a chance to sit down and think about what’s going on and everything that’s involved.”

When Lapwai School District Superintendent David Aiken spoke, he thanked law enforcement who “surrounded our district with everything we could possibly need to keep everyone safe this week.” He thanked the staff of the Lapwai School District who got kids out quickly and safely because of procedures in place that were well-practiced.

He said the school received positive feedback from the Idaho Office of School Safety and Security for the district’s response. That organization was also impressed with the Lapwai’s community approach to safety, which Aiken said is built on relationships and collaboration.

Aiken said arrangements have been made with Nimiipuu Health to provide additional counselors at schools for students, and Nez Perce Tribal Police will be on site to ensure peace of mind during the transition back to school when that takes place.

Dr. Kim Hartwig, of Nimiipuu Health, said telemedicine services will be provided to those who don’t want to return to school. Employees of the district can also get behavioral health assistance and nonbeneficiaries for an initial visit at Nimiipuu Health.

“I just can’t thank everyone enough for the collaboration that’s occurred and hopefully we all grow and heal from this event,” she said.

Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee Chairman Samuel Penney thanked all parties involved for following protocols and keeping people safe and informed of what was happening.

“While the thought of this happening anywhere is heartbreaking, the potential of it happening right here in one of our own communities is almost unfathomable,” he said. “These are our children, our teachers, our colleagues, our friends — this is our community.”

Penney, who also became emotional in his address to the community, said people need to support and trust the schools and law enforcement to protect the community as well as each other.

“The sad truth is, this is our reality,” he said. “School shootings happen and can happen anywhere, but we cannot hide and avoid the world — rather, we must be vigilant and be aware of our surroundings.”

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.