One more followup on the case of the 12-year-old boy hit in the head with what was believed to be a rock-filled backpack at Southwest Community Center at noontime Monday: We’ve just seen the official, detailed police report for the first time and have transcribed most of it — obviously without names, since most people involved are juveniles and no charges have been filed. The victim and suspect are both 12-year-old students at Denny Middle School; he lives in West Seattle, she does not. According to the report, he was believed to have been unconscious for about 10 minutes after getting hit in the head twice. Read on for the entirety of what police wrote up afterward (warning, the description of what witnesses said they saw after he was hit is a bit graphic):
When police first started talking to the suspect, they say, they checked her pink backpack, and the officer who completed the report wrote: “It was void of any foreign objects not related to school. However, I did notice a few small pieces of bark-like debris that would indicate some type of foreign objects from the grounds may have been placed inside the backpack.”
The girl denied putting rocks in her backpack and denied deliberately hitting the boy, but according to the report, “5 juvenile witness statements” run counter to that. Here’s the narrative transcribed from the printed police report we have just reviewed:
According to witnesses (the victim) was on the nearby community center playfield with a group of friends during the lunch break. These friends were witnesses (12, 14, two 11-year-olds, 13, and the 12 y o suspect).
(The suspect) became angry with (the victim), apparently over discussion he was having with (a friend) in regards to another girl. (The two) engaged in a verbal argument. (She) then walked off for a short time. According to all of the above witnesses, when she returned they could either hear or see rocks in (the suspect’s) backpack. At this time (she) swung her backpack at (him). The backpack struck him in the back of his head; (she) then struck (him) in the back of the head a second time with her backpack. (he) fell to the ground. Some of the witnesses say that (his) head struck concrete when he fell, and other witnesses do not. However, the witnesses state that his eyes rolled back in his head and his body began to twitch. One (child) ran to the nurse’s office and notified (her). She and a school staffer responded to (the victim’s) location. (Someone called 911.)
Engine 37 arrived and found (the boy) still unconscious. Medic Unit 32 arrived and transported (him) to Harborview Medical Center. Fire department personnel state that while in the Medic Unit (he) began to regain consciousness. SFD personnel called for a police response when they realized that this was an assault situation.
Officers arrived at Denny at 12:33. First they discovered (the victim had been taken to the hospital). Next (an assistant principal took them to the office). All of the student witnesses were at this location. Officer interviewed each of these as assistant principal telephoned each of their parents and notified them … Then (the suspect) was brought into the office. Her mother …was with her … (Assistant principal, officer, School Emphasis Team officer all there) … (They read her her Miranda rights and asked) if she would like to tell what had occurred on the playfield … (she) said yes.
She stated that she was on the playground swinging her backpack when (he) ran by. (She) said that her backpack accidentally struck (him) in the back of the head and he fell down. (She) said that was all that occurred. (Officer) informed (her) that all of the other persons present had told him that (they) had been engaged in an argument.
(She) denied she had an argument with (him). Officer told (her) that the witnesses said she had gone away for a short time after the argument, but returned and struck (him) two times in the back of his head with her backpack. (She) denied this also. Officer asked (her) if she had any rocks in her backpack at the time (he) had been struck with it. (She) said no. She was crying and appeared very upset during the interview. (Officer) took custody of the backpack for evidence.
Officer explained to (girl’s mother) and assistant principal that an assault report was going to be written and forwarded to detectives. Further, it was explained to them that it was a possibility assault charges would be filed against (her). She was then released to the custody of her mother after being informed by (assistant principal) that she was suspended from school for the remainder of the school year.
Prior to leaving the school, officers were given copies of handwritten statements by the student witnesses that they were required by school staff to write. The original handwritten statement that (she) was required by staff to write was given to officers.
Since the victim is a child, we are not likely to be able to get information on his condition, but it was described in the SPDBlotter summary as “not (appearing to be) life-threatening.” We will do our best to keep following up on whether charges are ultimately filed against the suspect. 12:11 AM NOTE: As revealed in comments, the boy is out of the hospital, as evidenced by a TV interview he has done.
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