LAKEWOOD, Wash. — Two 16-year-old girls were arrested after stealing a vehicle at gunpoint and taking police on a chase that ended inside Clover Park High School in Lakewood on Wednesday.
The pursuit forced Clover Park High School and surrounding schools to temporarily go on lockdown.
The suspects are accused of carjacking a Jeep at an apartment complex in Spanaway, according to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.
The carjacking victim told police one of the suspects approached her car and opened the door. The suspect held a pink and silver handgun to the victim's stomach and asked, "Can you please get out of the car?" according to probable cause documents.
The suspect "politely" asked the victim for her keys, according to documents. The victim asked the suspect if she could keep her house keys, and the suspect agreed. The suspect allegedly thanked the victim before driving away.
When a deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspects drove off. The deputy chased the vehicle because he had probable cause that the driver committed first-degree assault, according to the sheriff's office.
At one point, the driver went off the road, causing damage to the Jeep's front tire.
The pursuit ended at Clover Park High School when the suspect driver got out of the Jeep and ran into the school. According to the sheriff's office, the suspect was able to sneak inside before the school was completely locked down.
Deputies found her inside the school along with the second suspect, who was a passenger in the vehicle. The suspect driver still had a gun.
The gun, according to the sheriff's office, was stolen during a car prowl last year.
Clover Park staff told police the teens were either current or former students at the school.
The suspect driver is accused of first-degree robbery and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. The suspect passenger is accused of second-degree taking a motor vehicle without permission.
Correction: The ages of the two suspects were incorrectly stated in a previous version of this article based on previous information from law enforcement.