TACOMA, Wash. — Police say they stopped a potential mass shooting after receiving a tip about a concerning online post, and found a shotgun buried in the woods of a park.
It all started on May 26, when patrol officers received a crisis complaint about a photo on Discord of a gun, referencing a possible mass shooting.
Police say the post was from a Tacoma university student, who lives in Seattle.
According to police, he had become, “increasingly erratic and radicalized “and “clearly modeling his ideology off of a mass murderer.”
University officials were quickly notified.
While investigating, police discovered the man had left his apartment with a shotgun carrying case.
Police found the man and detained him, worried he was a danger to the public. The man did not have the shotgun on him at the time.
Paramedics transported the man to a local hospital for medical evaluation and served him with an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO).
An ERPO prevents individuals at high risk of harming themselves or others from accessing guns when there is evidence that the person poses a significant danger.
According to police, the man admitted he buried a shotgun in the woods near Robinson Community Park in Bellevue. Police searched the area and found the gun with the writing now scratched off. Officers seized the weapon as evidence.
If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance, please reach out to The National Suicide and Crisis Hotline by calling 988. The resource is available to anyone experiencing a mental health crisis, thoughts of suicide, or emotional distress. It is available 24/7 all across the U.S. 988 supports individuals and their loved ones, offering guidance for how to help someone in crisis and access community resources.