Updated with details from Lynnwood police

Lynnwood police on Friday took into custody a 14-year-old Meadowdale High School student who had allegedly robbed a nearby coffee stand at knifepoint, then returned to the school immediately after the robbery.

According to Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions, the suspect walked up to a drive-thru window of a coffee stand located on the corner of 168th Street Southwest and 52nd Avenue West. in Lynnwood, displayed a knife and demanded money from the barista.

With an undisclosed amount of money, the boy then fled the area on foot, Sessions said, and police cordoned off the area for a K9 track. The four schools closest to the robbery — Beverly Elementary, and Meadowdale high, middle and elementary schools — were all placed in lockdown.

Police searching the area found clothes discarded in a nearby parking lot and continued to search for the suspect, Sessions said. “A nearby officer saw a boy, with the same description of the suspect, going into the school as it was being placed into lockdown,” she said. “The officer followed the boy in and detained him in the office.”

The suspect, a freshman at Meadowdale, was arrested for investigation of robbery and later booked into the Lynnwood Police juvenile holding cell. The boy will be transferred to the Denney Youth Center in Everett. No weapons were found on the suspect at the time of his arrest, Sessions said.

In addition, police are also looking into the boy’s connection with at least one other recent robbery in the area — the robbery of a nail salon in the 5300 block of 168th Street Southwest in Lynnwood at 1:30 p.m. Thursday

According to a letter to Meadowdale HS families, sent by principal Kevin Allen, the student was immediately expelled.

Here’s the complete text of Principal Allen’s letter:

Families of Meadowdale High School Students,

I have some important information to share with you regarding a lockdown at our school this morning and information you will be hearing in media reports later today.

Our school was placed into lockdown by Lynnwood Police while they searched for a suspect who had robbed a nearby coffee stand. The robbery suspect is now in custody. He is a 14-year-old student from our school and has been immediately emergency expelled.

The suspect returned to the school following the robbery and police witnessed him entering the main office area of our school while we were in the process of locking the building down. Police immediately apprehended him and confined him in the office area. He had committed the robbery at knife point but did not have any weapons on him at the time he was in the building. Our thanks go to the Lynnwood Police officers for their swift actions.

I want to reassure you that students are safe at Meadowdale High School and it is always our highest priority. Please let me know if you have questions.

Sincerely,

Kevin Allen