BELLEVUE, Wash. — A former Bellevue School District student is accused of threatening to bring a gun to Sammamish High School eight days after a protection order was filed against him.
Isaiah Ahron Foster, 18, was charged Monday with felony harassment and felony cyber harassment. His bail was set at $1 million, which was what prosecutors requested due to the “high likelihood” that Foster would commit a violent offense.
On Dec. 9, investigators said a student showed the principal at Sammamish High School screenshots from Snapchat messages with Foster, which included a picture of seven or eight long guns and rifle bags and a message saying he was going to bring his guns to the student’s school.
The administrator called 911, and the school was placed into lockdown. The school stayed locked down until Foster was arrested at his home in north Seattle about two hours later.
Foster was carrying a rifle scope cover at the time of his arrest, according to probable cause documents.
Bellevue police were aware of Foster, because about two weeks prior Foster had told his doctor in Seattle that he had thoughts of committing a school shooting at Sammamish High School.
The doctor notified Seattle police, who issued an extreme risk protection order Dec. 1, which temporarily removes firearm access for people threatening themselves or others.
As part of the order, Foster and his parents turned over their guns to police for safekeeping. Foster’s father provided receipts and accounted for all the guns with Seattle police when he turned them over.
“The State has very high concerns given the close proximity of the above events, Defendant’s willingness to harm a large population of students – and abilities to access firearms to carry out those threats,” Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Patricia Goldman wrote in charging documents.
Foster’s father told police that the photo Foster sent the other student was taken while he was documenting his weapons a year and a half ago.
Police did not find any guns at Foster’s home or in his car while executing a search warrant.
Foster is expected to be arraigned in court Dec. 22.
