Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office

-PRESS RELEASE-
SCSO Investigates Cannabis Exposure Incident at Dunsmuir Elementary School

Dunsmuir, CA (June 5, 2026) - The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) is investigating an incident that occurred at Dunsmuir Elementary School on Monday, June 1st, involving multiple students involuntarily exposed to cannabis products.

Dunsmuir Elementary School administrative officials contacted the SCSO on Tuesday, June 2nd, to report that a teacher and multiple students were hospitalized the previous day after consuming homemade cookies. According to the school, a teacher left cookies out in a common area of a classroom during a morning break. Later that day, the same teacher and several students fell ill and were taken to the hospital for evaluation.

At the hospital, the teacher and some of the students tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis consumption. Preliminary analysis conducted by the SCSO confirmed some of the cookies in the classroom contained THC. As of this notice, all of the hospitalized students and the teacher have been released. SCSO Detectives are following up with students and their families to determine the scale of the exposure. At this time, a complaint has been filed with the District Attorney’s Office for review.

The SCSO’s investigation is ongoing, and additional information will be provided as the investigation allows. We encourage anyone with information pertaining to this case to contact Detective Thomas at (530) 841-2900.
- # # #-

-PRESS RELEASE-
Mount Shasta Mountain Lion Successfully Captured for Relocation

Mount Shasta, CA (June 5, 2026) - At approximately 10:30 AM this morning, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) with assistance from the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), Mount Shasta Police Department (MSPD), and California Highway Patrol (CHP) successfully tranquilized and captured the female juvenile mountain lion F-79.

The mountain lion was treed earlier this morning within the Mount Shasta City limits near Mill Road and was safely removed from the area. F-79 is currently being evaluated for relocation by the CDFW. Upon F-79's relocation, her behavior will continue to be evaluated by the CDFW to determine if any additional interventions are warranted.

The SCSO would like to thank the partner agencies including MSPD and CHP that assisted with the successful capture of the mountain lion. The safety of the public remains the SCSO’s highest priority. The SCSO also thanks the public for their reports and patience during this challenging time. We encourage the public to continue reporting concerning wildlife behavior, sightings, or depredations to the Sheriff’s Office and CDFW, as these reports provide the necessary information required to respond to wildlife conflict in Siskiyou County.
- # # #-
CHP - Mount Shasta Mt Shasta Police Department California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Thank you Copco!

We had a great meeting with the residents of Copco last night, covering very important subjects including the need for multiple viable evacuation routes, speeding concerns, and the desire for a community watch group. In addition to providing a department update, Sheriff LaRue also reviewed fire season and emergency preparedness tips for the residents. Supervisor Harris discussed his work improving evacuation options in the Iron Gate area and elsewhere along the Klamath.

We'd like to thank Supervisor Harris and the Siskiyou County Office of Emergency Services for their contributions to last night's meeting and we look forward for continuing these meetings with Copco in the future.
Copco Lake Community

-$1.9 Million Co***ne Seizure Results in Arrest-

On May 29, 2026 at approximately 1150 hours, a Siskiyou County Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2022 Mazda CX5 for a mechanical violation.

During the traffic stop, the driver was found to be unlicensed and demonstrating multiple criminal indicators. A vehicle in inventory search was subsequently conducted, and signs of an aftermarket false compartment was observed.

Once the compartment was located, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office requested a K-9 unit to assist. The Mount Shasta Police Department arrived with their drug detection canine, and it positively alerted for the presence of narcotics. With this confirmation, the compartment was breached.

The Sheriff’s Deputy located 18 kilograms of suspected co***ne, which was later valued at $1.9 million. The driver was then placed under arrest and booked at the County Jail for numerous felony violations. Mt Shasta Police Department

- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-

Mount Shasta, CA (June 3, 2026) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) are actively tracking F-79, the juvenile female mountain lion reported to have preyed upon poultry and small animals in the W**d and Mount Shasta areas. The shared goal of both agencies is to protect public safety and safely capture and relocate the animal to a remote location.

Per CDFW, after F-79 was orphaned near W**d, California, the animal was rescued, rehabilitated, fitted with a GPS collar, and released into a secluded area of the Trinity Alps in May 2026. Since the mountain lion’s release, the animal has traveled widely and has recently returned near her original home range close to Mount Shasta.

Due to F-79’s recent behavior, CDFW and the SCSO assessed F-79’s risk to the public and determined that the mountain lion did not meet the legal criteria for a lethal removal, as she did not pose an imminent threat to public health or safety at this time. Instead, F-79’s current behavior warrants a prompt removal and relocation.

It is important to note that while the CDFW issues depredation permits, the SCSO may also lethally remove an animal that poses an imminent threat to the public. The Sheriff’s Office and CDFW will continue reassess F-79's behavior once she has been relocated.

Residents in the affected areas are encouraged to closely monitor their pets and keep all animals in secure enclosures during this process.

- # # #-
California Department of Fish and Wildlife

On Friday, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office celebrated the graduation of two deputies from the College of the Siskiyous Law Enforcement Academy Class 16. Deputy Colton West and Deputy Ryan Walden from the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office are our two newest Deputy II's and will now be entering the Field Training program to begin their careers as a patrol Deputies.

We'd like to congratulate all the cadets on their strong work over the past 6 months and look forward to seeing all that they will accomplish in their careers. #

Congratulations Deputy Young!
One of our fantastic Correctional Deputies, Jamie Young, just completed the 187 hour CORE program (Correctional Officer Regional Education) in Shasta County alongside Deputies from several other agencies.

In addition to First Aid and CPR as required by Emergency Management Services, the CORE program provides advanced training to Corrections Deputies regarding the safety and security of people in custody, as well as rehabilitation strategies to reduce recidivism and ensure the safety of the public. To that end, we want to thank the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office for hosting this fantastic training for our staff.

We also want to congratulate each graduate on their significant achievement and wish them continued success as they continue their careers in law enforcement!

Hornbrook and KRCE showed up in a big way for the town hall last night! Thank you to everyone who attended, raised great questions, and provided thoughtful solutions on topics ranging from speeding to providing positive engagement opportunities between kids and law enforcement. It was a real pleasure to see the strong community these residents have built over the years, and we look forward to more opportunities to collaborate in the future.

The next Public Safety Town Hall will be in Copco on June 3rd at 6:30pm, so if you live in that region, please join us!