5:29 PM: Police are investigating an incident in Morgan Junction this afternoon which has led to the principal of Gatewood Elementary sending an FYI to families. First, here’s principal Kyna Hogg‘s note, forwarded to us by multiple Gatewood parents:
Dear Gatewood Families and Staff,
I wanted to let you know about an incident that occurred near Gatewood this afternoon and to remind everyone about safety when walking home from school.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., the Seattle Police Department received a report that a man was following two girls walking along California Ave. Community members who witnessed the situation intervened and told the girls to run, which they did. Police responded quickly and took the man into custody.
At this time, the police have not identified the two girls involved, and there is no ongoing threat to our school community. If you believe your child may have been one of the students involved, please contact me so I can connect you with the investigating officers.
While this appears to have been an isolated incident, it’s a good opportunity to remind our students and families about safety when walking to and from school. Please take a few moments to review the following tips with your child:
-Walk with a friend or in a group whenever possible.
-Stay on main roads and sidewalks; avoid alleys or shortcuts.
-Be aware of your surroundings and avoid distractions such as phones or headphones.
-If someone makes you uncomfortable or follows you, run to a safe place (such as a nearby business or home) and ask for help.
-Report anything suspicious to a trusted adult or directly to the police.The district offers resources for students who walk or bike to school. If you are interested in having your student join a walking group, you can learn more on the district website.
We are grateful to the community members who acted quickly today and to the Seattle Police for their swift response. If you have any questions, please contact me directly.
A few more details from the police-radio exchanges about this: It was originally reported near California and Fauntleroy, The person who reported it to police was then apparently following the man in their car; police were told the man then stopped at 40th and Morgan and got out of his car, possibly to confront the follower. Police arrived and detained the man. They were also trying to find the girls who had run from him (they were described as white, blonde, slender, maybe around 12 years old). We have an inquiry out to find out if the man was actually arrested or just questioned. If you have any information on the incident, the SPD # is 2025-332513.
7:04 PM: We’ve just heard back from SPD, which says the man was not arrested, and provided the report narrative explaining why:
SUBJECT said that at 1455, he dropped his wife XXXX off at McDonalds for her shift. He dropped her off across the street from the McDonalds, turned around, and was about to go home when XXXX started yelling at him from her vehicle. SUBJECT was very confused, and thought this was a road rage incident.
SUBJECT said that he has no idea what XXXX is talking about with the two teenage girls, and said he was simply dropping his wife off at work.
Officers confirmed with XXXX that SUBJECT was only dropping her off for her shift at work.
I do not believe that SUBJECT was trying to abduct anybody. I believe this may [have] been XXXX believing that she saw suspicious behavior, and having an overly reactive emotional response.
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