Air gun-carrying youth detained at The Dalles Middle School

“We were walking into Dry Hollow school to do a school safety lockdown drill scheduled to go off at 1:30, (and) officers just ran down the hill,” Worthy said.

The suspect was cited for disorderly conduct in the second degree, reckless endangering and harassment.

North Wasco County School District 21 announced that the school-aged individual was not affiliated with the middle school.

“According to witnesses, the individual fired a toy ‘gel blaster’ gun from outside of the school grounds, hitting several students. Thankfully, no one received serious injuries,” the school district reported. “These incidents are always taken very seriously, but the timing of this event after such a recent national tragedy, adds to its troubling nature.”

Worthy said the middle school was not placed in lockdown because officers were able to respond so quickly, and because the individual had already departed the area.

“Staff recognized what was going on and they made the estimation that it was probably one of these Airsoft guns,” he said.

The orange-and-grey colored air gun, a SplatRBall brand, fires water gel blasters and was seized by law enforcement.

The Dalles Police Department responded to the incident, and were accompanied by Oregon State Police during the school safety lockdown drill at Dry Hollow Elementary School. The drill was later completed.

Worthy shared gratitude with the students, staff and faculty that participated in the lockdown drill.

“My hats off to the kids. All the rooms were locked, every kid took it seriously. It only took about 10 minutes,” he said.