Gatewood Elementary reports morning intruder

| Crime | Gatewood | West Seattle news | West Seattle police | West Seattle schools

Gatewood Elementary dealt with an intruder early this morning, according to a message from principal Kyna Hogg to families. Thanks to the parents who forwarded us the principal’s email:

I want to share an update on an incident that occurred at our school today. This morning, we had an unknown adult enter our building before students arrived. Gatewood staff immediately notified both the Seattle Police Department and the SPS Safety and Security team. There were no students in the building at the time this occurred.

The individual stayed on campus (outside) during arrival with staff present the entire time, waiting for additional support to arrive. Students did not interact with this individual while outside.

Please know that we take safety in our building very seriously and the security and wellbeing of our students is our top concern. Our Safety and Security team is working with SPD to investigate and identify next steps. As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

We asked SPD about the incident. Here’s what Det. Valerie Carson tells us: “Officers were called around 7:45 am for a woman causing a disturbance at a school and then in the area around the school. Police determined the woman needed mental health services and had her taken by private ambulance to the hospital for evaluation.” This is the second time this year Gatewood has reported an intruder on campus, after an incident in June.

HS September 16, 2021 (8:34 pm)

There has been a few reports recently of a woman causing “disturbances”. I mention it because it’s concerning. There were images included with the other reports and it might be a good idea to double check to see if it’s the same person. The previous reports were for commercial glass destruction and starting fires in trash containers.

Boinsted September 17, 2021 (6:56 am)

The woman that you are reffering to, lighting garbage on fire this past week in North Admiral area, has been seen around the Admiral Way 7-11. She has belongings there and has been observed sleeping and walking around the parking lot and surrounding businesses. I saw her there Wednesday.

Gatewood resident September 16, 2021 (9:01 pm)

Is there a way to find a booking photo so that those of us that live nearby might recognize this woman if she returns? Is there a halfway house or services or a reason that this woman and ryan Cox are focused on gatewood?

WSB September 16, 2021 (9:08 pm)

Arrest photos are not public. That aside, as reported above, this person was not “booked,” she was taken to a hospital. I don’t know this person’s identity or history but regarding Ryan Cox, as his mother has pointed out, he lived in that area much of his life. – TR
- Jerrold September 16, 2021 (11:30 pm)
  
  Thats a shame and i dont understand why. In portland they had a weekly newspaper (i beleive it was called booked, i cant recall for sure) that had everypersons mugshot that was arrested previously. If we can go online and find out prettymuch everything else, why cant we see a photo?
  - WSB September 17, 2021 (12:21 am)
    
    Actually the trend in many areas of the country is away from that. Being arrested doesn’t mean you’re guilty and mug shots have followed people around despite their never having been convicted of anything. One story from last year:
    https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2020/newsrooms-are-rethinking-their-use-of-mugshots-in-crime-reporting/
  - Brian September 17, 2021 (8:09 am)
    
    Whatever you’re talking about that you saw in Oregon sounds extremely messed up and bad.
    - NOT1984 September 17, 2021 (9:08 am)
      
      You can subscribe to the Sheriff’s bulletin that notifies you about child predators but posting photos of any and all people who meet with police brings to mind roving gangs of proactive vigilantes.
    - Wseattlite September 17, 2021 (1:49 pm)
      
      Agreed.

Ron M September 16, 2021 (9:08 pm)

Would this happen to be the same woman living in the nearby park?

kerstimuul September 16, 2021 (10:19 pm)

Is this the woman who screams?

Ice September 17, 2021 (11:33 am)

I think there are multiple of those.

CAM September 16, 2021 (10:57 pm)

By contrast to the conversation re: HIPAA and the vaccine requirement happening on the other post which has zero basis in law or civil rights, I have significant concerns about my neighbors asking a publicly available website to post photos or offer a physical description of a woman experiencing a mental health crisis.

Rhonda September 17, 2021 (2:08 am)

There are many of us who would like to know what this person looks like in case we run into them when they’re having another crisis episode. There was a well-known, troubled young woman in Admiral a few years ago who had a moment of crisis that involved stabbing a young mother nearly to death who was walking her baby in a stroller. Mentally unstable people can sometimes be a danger to the public and shaming frightened neighbors who want a description doesn’t help the situation.
- CAM September 17, 2021 (9:56 am)
  
  Mental illness does not equal danger. You are far more likely to be assaulted or harmed by someone you already know or someone who does not have a mental health problem than you are to be harmed by a stranger having a mental health crisis.
  - Stef September 19, 2021 (8:41 pm)
    
    In this case this person intentionally shoved me and when I asked what was that for, proceeded to pick up a chair over her head and throw it at me. While nothing came of this event, you could tell she had some mental condition. This occured earlier in the morning same day around 7:20 AM.

Gatewood neighbor September 17, 2021 (7:55 am)

Since I live directly across the street from Gatewood, I would love to see pictures of this woman.

Regular Guy September 17, 2021 (11:25 am)

Why? What are you going to do if you see her?

K September 17, 2021 (8:56 am)

Our elementary school is locked at all times and you must be buzzed in. Maybe it’s time for Gatewood to start using that method as well. Who knows how many times something like this can happen without a bad outcome.

Chris K September 17, 2021 (10:34 am)

No one has the right to see a photo of anyone going through a mental health crisis. The woman deserves compassion and privacy. What is wrong with people?

momosmom September 17, 2021 (12:43 pm)

Chris, I have noticed from the years of following the blog that “some” commenters are just plain mean, accusing, and know it all’s and have no sympathy for anyone but themselves.
Mike September 17, 2021 (6:08 pm)

Agreed 👍
Unsure September 19, 2021 (9:00 pm)

I agree about having compassion, however what if the situation is that on the same day 7:20 AM this person intentionally bumped into you while going into Starbucks and when asked what was that for, she picks up a chair and throws it at you. You go around and take a picture of this person while you see this person going around the neighborhood acting strange. Later you then go to the Starbucks where you inform the police officer who is having coffee that this person is on the street right now and you show the officer the picture and the officer looks like I’m wasting his time. And then tell the officer I’m sharing this info to you because around the corner my son goes to the near by school and I’m afraid that this person might enter the school. 2 hours later you see the email from the principal.
- CAM September 19, 2021 (10:46 pm)
  
  Assuming you are the same person as Stef above describing the same story, I would say to you that it sounds like that was not the person in this story because that person was already in custody by the time you describe trying to have the officer in Starbucks do something about it while she was outside the restaurant.
  - Stef September 20, 2021 (5:02 pm)
    
    It was the same person. I confirmed with the principle, sent her the picture I took. My incident occured same day and before she entered the school.

Gatewood Neighborhood September 17, 2021 (3:11 pm)

momosmon, I have kids in school and if there is an unstable person in my neighborhood I want to know who they are. It’s called having information so you can protect your family.

Realist September 18, 2021 (12:17 am)

Sorry to be the one to tell you, but there are multiple unstable people in your neighborhood, and every neighborhood.

Crime September 17, 2021 (4:58 pm)

Whether she was having a MH issue, she committed a crime of trespassing at the least, breaking in maybe, who knows what else , where children were expected soon. Police had to called. I think her pic should be fair game. Just like a Ring Doorbell video.

Gatewood Parent September 22, 2021 (12:28 pm)

If we want to do something toward safeguarding Gatewood’s student and staff, we should be reaching out to the district and push to get security and safety measures expidited, and up to par with most of the other schools around the area. Currently it is not going to start happening until 2022-23 and that is not acceptable. Intruders are not the only threatening behavior that has been happening there. They are routinely vandalized around their BLM stance.Also, another thing to be aware of concerned community, it took police an hour to respond when they were notified of an intruder at the school. Not acceptable.

Sorry, comment time is over.