JOINT STATEMENT – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 1, 2021

Dear Ferndale Community,

This morning, Ferndale High School administration received a report of a weapon on campus. The report was made based on a snapchat video of a student displaying the weapon in a campus bathroom. Administration identified the student, notified Ferndale Police Department immediately, and placed the campus on an external lockdown as it was determined the student had left school grounds. Throughout the morning, administrators and the police department continued to work to locate the student; it was through this investigation that the Ferndale Police Department that the student was no longer in the immediate area and as such that it was safe for Ferndale High School to lift the lockdown. While the Ferndale Police Department nor the high school administration have yet to locate the student, they do not have a reason to believe that the public or the school is currently in danger. The Ferndale School District and the Ferndale Police Department will remain in close contact throughout this ongoing investigation and will provide any necessary updates as they become available. Both organizations will be in contact early Thursday morning and will work together to ensure the safety of our students and staff throughout the morning. This will include increased security, patrolling, and communication. Thank you all for your patience while we investigated the situation and evaluated the information as it developed. We would like to commend those who came forward and reported the incident to administration. Community safety depends on those who see or hear something concerning, saying something to an adult. The safety and well-being of our students and staff today was thanks to the bravery of those who reported the dangerous act. We want to reiterate the importance of speaking up and about the grave consequences for students who bring weapons to campus or make threats, serious or not. Working together while keeping a positive open relationship, we can maintain an environment where students are free to focus on learning and maintaining a safe community. Thank you for being a great partner in your child’s education and a supportive neighbor in the Ferndale community. We will continue our promise of providing a safe and secure community. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the case, please contact Detective Gamage, Ferndale Police Department at (360) 483-5720 or at sgamage@ferndalepd.org, reference case number 21F10504. Questions for Ferndale School District regarding this situation, please contact Interim Superintendent, Mark Deebach at mark.deebach@ferndalesd.org. Thank you for taking the time to read this message, as always providing a safe environment for children, staff, and the greater community is our top priority.