Pipe bomb found at Rainier View Elementary in Federal Way

A suspicious object found at the Rainier View Elementary School playground Monday turned out to be a six-inch pipe bomb, according to King County Sheriff’s spokesman John Urquhart.

The pipe bomb was found during morning recess. The school was put into lockdown at 10:20 a.m. and the lockdown was lifted at 12:22 p.m.

King County Sheriff’s Department was called to the school at 3015 S. 368th St. in unincorporated King County. The bomb squad came in and picked up the bomb. Students and staff are safe.

Shortly after the all clear was given Monday at Rainier View, a bomb threat was reported at Todd Beamer High School, 35999 16th Ave. S. The school was evacuated. Police inspected the school and found nothing suspicious. Staff and students were able to return to the school at around 1:30 p.m.

Federal Way Police are continuing to investigate the threat, which came from a phone call.

“As of right now it was just a threat. No device was found,” Federal Way police spokesman Raymond Bunk said.

Plans are to now try and trace the phone call and talk to students, Bunk said.

Nearly all bomb threats in the Federal Way School District turn out to be hoaxes. According to district policy, “students found to be responsible for making a bomb threat will be expelled from the district.”