UPDATE: 9:45 a.m. - Jan. 28, 2021
POLSON - Polson Police report a man was arrested in Florida after making threats to shoot up a local elementary school.
Linde Lambson was arrested Tuesday morning in Miami, where he lives.
The Polson Police Department says they became aware on Saturday of vague threats of violence.
After further investigation, authorities found Lambson texted a Lake County resident plans to obtain guns, travel to Polson, and conduct a mass shooting at Cherry Valley Elementary School.
According to a news release, Lambson later confessed to the threats.
Polson Police Sergeant George Simpson says he believes Lambson is a former Lake County resident who has been living in Florida for some time.
Simpson says the investigation is ongoing, but the motive behind the threat is unclear.
He adds the most important thing is the children are safe, but he's glad the community member came forward.
“It’s fantastic when a community member gets some information like this that they share it with law enforcement," Sgt. Simpson said. "It was three days from the time we were notified to the time that he was taken into custody on the other side of the country. That's really quick and none of that would have got done had somebody not come forward and communicated that info to us."
Sgt. Simpson says there is no ongoing threat of violence.
Polson Police, the Lake County Sheriff's Office, and the Miami Beach Police Department assisted in the investigation.
(first report: 3:50 p.m. - Jan. 27, 2021)
A Florida man has been arrested after making threats of violence at a Polson school.
Polson Police Sergeant George Simpson says law enforcement was notified on Saturday about an individual making vague threats of violence.
The person was identified Linde Lambson. Sgt. Simpson says that by Sunday night the Polson police officers discovered more specific threats of violence. It was determined that Lambson -- who currently lives in Florida – was threatening to conduct a mass shooting at Cherry Valley Elementary School.
Sgt. Simpson says that the Miami Beach Police Department took Lambson into custody on Tuesday and obtained a confession from Lambson and he was subsequently arrested for the threats of violence.
The investigation into the incident is continuing but Sgt. Simpson says there is no “ongoing threat of violence from this incident.”
“First I would like to thank the citizens that came forward with the communicated threats to our schools. Secondly, I would like to thank our partners with the Polson School District, Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Miami Beach Police Department, Polson Police Chief Wade Nash said.
“While the threat was not immediate due to the suspect’s location it was gravely concerning and thanks to everyone involved it came to a peaceful resolution,” Nash concluded.
