Kalispell Police say as many as 21 youths were involved in the break-in and vandalism early Tuesday at Flathead High School.

Damage inside the school included broken windows, drinking fountains torn from walls and a damaged vending machine plus sawdust, trash and paper strewn throughout the building, according to Investigations Capt. Doug Overman. A moose statue also was damaged.

Police say all the suspects are believed to be students. School Resource Officer Cory Clarke is leading the investigation, which includes several officers.

“It’s a pretty significant event,” Overman said. “It’s going to take some time to get through it.”

No one had been charged or arrested as of Wednesday afternoon, Overman said. Officers will work with the school district to decide whether or not to press criminal charges.

“We work hand in hand, but obviously we have our separate processes,” Overman said.

School Superintendent Mark Flatau said that the school’s security cameras got the suspects on film, which aided the investigation.

“The bottom line is that the suspects were caught on camera,” Flatau said.

High school administrators and Kalispell Police were sorting out the complicated case on Wednesday.

Flatau said he could not comment on whether or not the event might be classified as a senior prank or what discipline offenders may face.

“Whatever consequences students face are of course subject to confidentiality, as far as discipline,” Flatau said.

He stressed that the behavior is not typical of students at Flathead High School.

The school sent home a flyer last week warning students against participating in any year-end shenanigans.

“Individuals will be held accountable for senior pranks that promote illegal activities at school,” the pamphlet said. “This includes actions that are disruptive, distracting, incompatible, or harmful to school operations. Depending upon the severity of the illegal activity, the discipline consequence may include suspension or expulsion, and exclusion from the graduation ceremony.”

The dollar value of the damage inflicted at Flathead is still being computed.

Anyone with questions or information is asked to call Clarke at 751-3476.

According to a post on the Daily Inter Lake’s Facebook page, “It was only 3 who vandalized. The rest of them were there for a senior prank that included no vandalism and then the other 3 showed up and showed complete disrespect for not only the school but for their fellow classmates.”

Flatau said the vandalism was discovered by school staffers around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Staffers and students who arrived at the school early for off-season conditioning helped clean up the mess, and there was little interruption to school schedules.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.