Police find stolen weapons during traffic stop; Ridgefield High School lockdown lifted

Ridgefield High School was thrown into lockdown for more than an hour Thursday afternoon while police hunted down an armed man who fled from a traffic stop.

The incident started when Ridgefield police pulled over a white Isuzu Trooper during a routine traffic stop at 2:25 p.m. at Northwest Carty and Hillhurst roads, about half a mile from Ridgefield High School. All four people fled the vehicle during the traffic stop.

Police reportedly discovered multiple guns in the vehicle, along with law enforcement equipment.

Three of the suspects were quickly rounded up and taken into custody. Battle Ground and La Center police and the sheriff’s office were sent to the area to assist Ridgefield officers in finding the one remaining suspect, who was believed to be armed.

Police patrolled a stretch of Hillhurst Road, about 1 1/2 miles, in search of him.

Meanwhile, the suspect allegedly forced his way into an occupied home at 23117 N.W. Hillhurst Road. There were reports he made off with several guns, but the sheriff’s office did not confirm those following the man’s arrest.

A police dog tracked down the fourth suspect. Police questioned and patted down two suspects along the side of Hillhurst Road. Both were wearing green hooded sweatshirts and cargo pants.

The names of all four suspects were not released Thursday.

The high school lockdown was lifted at 3:45 p.m., the time police apprehended the fourth suspect.

The sheriff’s office said no one was injured during the break-in, but authorities are still working out the details.

“Details are sketchy,” said Sgt. Fred Neiman, spokesman for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. “I’m not exactly sure what all the circumstances are here.”

He said there are no outstanding suspects. He said the lockdown of Ridgefield High School was for safety and the overall containment strategy during the hunt for an armed man.

“That was our big fear,” Neiman said, “that there was an armed person on the loose.”