UPDATE, 4:35 p.m.: From the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:
On 9-19-2013, approximately 1:30 p.m. a woman walked into the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office McKinleyville Station and reported her son just stole her snub nosed .38 caliber revolver and just walked into the McKinleyville Safeway with it in a back pack. She told the sheriff clerk at the station she was unclear what he intended to do with the firearm. She reported his name was Roy Lynn Scoggins III,
22 years old and said he was dressed all in black, including a black hat. Deputies and California Highway Patrol (C.H.P.) Officers immediately responded to the McKinleyville Safeway to look for Scoggins. A warrant check on Scoggins revealed he was wanted on a felony warrant for manufacturing a deadly weapon. While deputies were searching the store for Scoggins his mother reported she just spoke with Scoggins on his cell phone and he told her he was walking by Ace Hardware on Central Avenue, McKinleyville. Deputies knew if that was true he was heading in the direction of McKinleyville Middle School. The Middle School was notified by the Sheriff’s Office that a man reported to be carrying a gun in a backpack was walking towards their school. The school initiated a lockdown as a precaution.
Additional deputies and C.H.P. responded to the area and looked for Scoggins, but were unable to locate him. At approximately 1:45 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office learned Scoggins may be enroute to a relative’s home in the Ocean West Mobile Home Park, Murray Road, McKinleyville. Due to Morris Elementary School and McKinleyville High School possibly being on Scoggins route, they were notified as a precaution by the Sheriff’s Office. Both schools chose to initiate a lockdown of their facilities as a precaution.
A relative of Scoggins provided his cell phone number to the Sheriff’s Office. A dispatcher was able to contact Scoggins and spoke with him. Scoggins told the dispatcher it was a misunderstanding and he agreed to surrender to the Sheriff’s Office. While walking to the Sheriff’s Office McKinleyville Station Scoggins was located by a California Highway Patrol officer on Central Avenue near Railroad Avenue and was taken into custody without incident. Scoggins denied stealing his mother’s firearm and no firearm was located in his possession. Scoggins was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked on the felony warrant. His bail was set at $10,000.00.
At the request of the three schools deputies and C.H.P Officers stood by at the schools as they were released to calm fears, even though Scoggins was in custody.
Anyone with information for the Sheriffs Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriffs Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriffs Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.
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UPDATE, 3:38 p.m.: Parents are receiving a new message from the superintendent stating “the lockdown has been lifted.”
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UPDATE, 3:27 p.m.: Lt. Steve Knight of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office reports that the suspect is in custody.
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UPDATE, 3:20 p.m.: Here is the audio message parents received (h/t KJ Day).
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UPDATE, 3:05 p.m.: The Facebook page Real News From the North Coast, which is run by a parent whose kids attend school in McKinleyville, is on top of this (“like” them for future reference). Page admin Kate Newton says she received the message referred to below. It advised parents that buses would not be running today.
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UPDATE, 2:54 p.m.: The T-S is reporting that the HCSO is looking for a wanted man carrying a handgun who is thought to be in the area.
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Original post: The Lost Coast Outpost is currently gathering information about a lockdown situation at both McKinleyville Middle School and Morris Elementary School. Parents of children at both schools are reportedly receiving phone calls with recorded messages stating that there had been suspicious activity in the area but that children are safe.
LoCO will update this post when we know more.
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