Image copyright Pierce County Sheriff's Department Image caption Officials said the teacher is being held on multiple charges

A teacher in the US state of Washington has been arrested after allegedly threatening to shoot and kill students.

When questioned by police at her home on Wednesday, Julie Hillend-Jones, 58, did not back down from the threats.

She has been placed on administrative leave from Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup, about 35 miles (56km) south of Seattle, where she taught geometry.

It was not clear what prompted her to make the threat. No weapons were recovered during the arrest.

She initially made the comments on Tuesday night to another adult, who then alerted local education officials. They then contacted the sheriff's office.

School district officials said Ms Hillend-Jones had immediately been placed on administrative leave.

Detective Ed Troyer of Pierce County Sheriff's Department said she was being held on multiple charges.

"If a kid makes those kind of statements, they end up going to jail, and they have to pay the price for it," Troyer told local KOMO News. "If a teacher makes them, that's a bad example and they have to be held accountable just as well."

According to KOMO News, one of Ms Hillend-Jones's students, Brooklyn Bisson, said: "I was really shocked to hear that it was her because she's a very much like a I'm-here-to-help-you type teacher."

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