9:05 AM: Police are at Madison Middle School after an incident described in this note sent to families:
Good Morning Madison Families, at approximately 8:25 am students reported a vehicle approached some students in an unfriendly manner in the front of the school and sped away. Seattle Police were immediately notified and we escorted all students inside the building. We are currently sheltering in place and have extra SPS security on site. We will notify you when our SIP is lifted.
The note didn’t describe the vehicle but police in the area are currently looking for one described as a light-colored 4-door Hyundai Elantra.
9:18 AM: The initial dispatch was that a “suspect in a mask pulled up to the school and pointed a gun at them.” Four people in all reported to be in the car (described above), with the armed person described as a “Hispanic male, late teens,” dark clothing including a ski mask-style black face covering.
10:04 AM: No word of any arrest(s) but the investigation continues; commenters report the “shelter in place” has been lifted.
12:55 PM: Just to note, we have of course requested followup info both from the district and from SPD and will add whatever we hear back.
5:45 PM: Still no word from SPD. The district provided us with the message Madison principal Dr. Robert Gary sent to families at day’s end, but it contained no new information about the actual incident.
11:45 PM: Just got the police report narrative. It says, as we wrote above, the initial dispatch was that “suspect with mask pulled up to school, pointed a gun at RP (reporting party), last seen driving northbound on 45th … suspect description Hispanic male, late teens, black balaclava [ski mask], all black clothing.” The report says the person who reported a gun was pointed at them was a Madison staffer, not student. Then 911 got “a call from a parent saying her daughter told her that occupants of the vehicle are trying to sell narcotics to students and threatening to shoot up the school. This complainant has limited information, says daughter is in the office with staff now.”
The officer who wrote the report subsequently arrived at Madison, talked with the principal, who aid “he called after a staff member … advised him that suspects in a white vehicle had pointed a firearm at (the staffer).” The officer wrote that the staffer said they were in their vehicle “approaching the school when (staffer) noticed a 2010s (redacted) sedan with tinted windows parked facing SB on 45 AV SW near SW Hinds ST. XXXXX stated the sedan was obviously stopped speaking to students who were on the sidewalk and (staffer) stated the students appeared scared. (staffer) pulled up behind the vehicle and the vehicle reversed and pulled up beside (staffer, who) yelled at the occupants stating “what’s up?” when the driver of the vehicle pointed what appeared to be a silver firearm in (staffer’s) direction saying “what’s up?” back in an aggressive manner. (Staffer) told the kids to go inside of the school. The vehicle then took off. (Staffer) advised the kids to let the principal know and to call 911 and then assisted in getting the kids inside of the school to lock down. (Staffer) described the suspects as all HMs, with tanned skin, wearing all black clothing and balaclava’s showing their eyes and noses.” The report says two students talked to police, with the principal’s permission, about what they saw; they said the people in the car “offered to sell them marijuana” and “continued to circle the school approximately three times.” The report says these students did not report seeing a gun “but stated they were told by friends that the occupants had firearms.” It also says officers “were unable to locate the teen whose parent called in stating that the suspects threatened to shoot up the school” and that “the principal was unaware of a student making these remarks.” That’s where the report ends; the only other info we’ve received is from a district spokesperson who says “an SPS Security Division Lead was placed at the school after the incident occurred and stayed for the remainder of the school day.”
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