ARLINGTON, Wash. — An Arlington elementary school P.E. teacher is in jail after police say he made a comment to a colleague about murdering everyone in the building.
Andrew T. Medley appeared before a judge from jail Tuesday, where he's being held for investigation of felony harassment.
According to court papers, last Thursday Medley appeared agitated and told a colleague "I am going to murder everyone in the building. Scratch that, I'm going to murder everyone's children in the building and make them watch."
Presidents Elementary School was on a modified lockdown Monday while police investigated.
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In court, Medley's defense attorney suggested the teacher was distressed from going through a divorce and didn't mean what he said.
According to court papers, Medley denied to police that he made statements about killing or harming anyone.
Probable cause documents say "Medley stated he had told a coworker that he wishes they have a 'slow and painful death' but never stated that he would kill them."
Medley is in jail on $10,000 bail. He's also on administrative leave while the district does its own investigation.
According to court documents, the teacher who heard the comment on Thursday alerted school administrators, who did not immediately call 911 because Medley left the building.
Instead they called a non-emergency dispatcher, who tried to reach the school resource officer.
But that officer was off-duty and learned of the incident Monday morning.
Superintendent Chrys Sweeting said she couldn't provide details of an active investigation involving an employee but said "the police were contacted and involved immediately when they needed to be."