Keaau Elementary School employee arrested after incident resulted in lockdown

Police arrested and charged an employee at Keaau Elementary School for allegedly issuing a threat that caused police to respond to Keaau Elementary School this morning and the school being locked down for more than an hour.

According to Maj. Kenneth Quiocho, 36-year-old Raquel Solis of Keaau was charged with disorderly conduct, a petty misdemeanor, and released from custody on her own recognizance.

She has an initial court date of Dec. 17

Officers responded to a 9 a.m. call concerning an upset employee who made a remark threatening the school after a meeting with administrators. Another school employee overheard the remark and reported it to the school’s principal.

The school, which had about 15 students and 60 staff members present because of a schedule adjustment due to the pandemic, went on lockdown to ensure the safety of all present.

“You don’t threaten our kids at school and you don’t threaten other people because you’re being disciplined by the school …,” Quiocho said. “It’s ridiculous to do that.”

According to Quiocho, protocols in place for incidents such as this worked and he’s “ecstatic that we came out with a good outcome in the whole situation.”

“We want to reassure the parents whose children attend the Keaau Elementary School that at no time were their children in jeopardy” added Sgt. Ryan Pagan of Puna Patrol Division.

Chad Keone Farias, Ka‘u-Keaau-Pahoa complex-area superintendent, said the instructional day continued despite the lockdown.

“I don’t think it’s a major incident. Somebody lost their head, pretty much,” Farias said. “We’ll do a fair and impartial investigation due to employee due process (and) we’ll take appropriate action.”

Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.