SAFETY ALERT: Students followed off bus ‘in a suspicious way’

| Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

Thanks to Denny International Middle School principal Jeff Clark for sharing this letter that he and Chief Sealth International High School principal Aida Fraser-Hammer sent to families tonight, so that we can share it with the wider community:

Dear Denny and Chief Sealth Families:

We are continuing to actively share any safety information related to any of our scholars when they are out in our community on their way to and from school.

Today, three middle school scholars were getting off the Metro bus at 35th Ave. SW and SW Elmgrove St. An adult male followed them off the bus and continued following them in a suspicious way. A neighbor observed this and called the police, who responded right away and are now investigating. We are very proud of how our scholars responded to this situation and appreciative of the neighbor who called the police.

Please be assured that the safety and security of our scholars is a top priority at both Sealth International High School and Denny International Middle School. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

THURSDAY MORNING NOTE: The helpful neighbor’s wife has added more information via this comment.

sam phin October 25, 2017 (11:29 pm)

What does this statement even mean? How was this person acting suspicious? That statement is so vague it’s practically meaningless. We have to be careful to discern what is truly suspicious from what is just misunderstood or misinterpreted. It’s hard to separate our biases from our objectivity.

WSB October 25, 2017 (11:45 pm)

This is the entirety of the information that was provided.

Libby October 26, 2017 (9:13 am)

My husband is the person who the kids ran up asking for help. They were terrified. The kids said the suspect was acting strangely towards them on the metro bus so they decided to get off at next stop. Man got off. Kids starting walking away and up into the neighborhood. Man followed them. Kids started running. Man started chasing them. Kids ran to my husband at next bus stop. Man stopped following and hopped onto next bus that pulled up while kids told my husband their story. Husband said kids were shaking and terrified. They tried to tell one adult male about it and he told them to just get to school. Kids then ran up to my husband who, as a father of 2, immediately recognized how scared they were and called 911. Police then drove kids to school. I’d say if I was 11,12,13 years old that yeah, the suspect in question was acting suspicious and they’re damned lucky my husband was there.

WSB October 26, 2017 (9:26 am)

Thank you for the information and thank you to your husband for helping them. Since the school letter was sent last night, and we hadn’t heard about the incident earlier, it was too late for us to try to get any associated police report and find out more. – TR
WSMom October 26, 2017 (10:15 am)

Libby, I am so glad your husband was there to help and listen to the kids. I had similar situations happen when I was around the same age (not going to school, just riding the bus) and it was pretty scary.

Al October 26, 2017 (10:35 am)

Give that dad an award! Great work.

Jim P. October 26, 2017 (10:36 pm)

At first, I too wondered about that “suspicious following” given how prone our nation is to hysteria these days but based on the further comments (and thank you for providing solid info) I agree, the kids were right to be scared and it is good to know there are decent people who will help.

Many years ago, there was an attempt at providing people with a way to indicate they had a safe house for a child to seek help from with a small sign on their door or window. (Local PD had to approve them if I recall correctly.)

Might be time to revive such a thing. Criminals fear an alert public far more than they fear the police.