Bellevue parents concerned after coyote attacks

Bellevue parents concerned after coyotes attack children

Wildlife officials said there were five coyote encounters in the Bellevue, WA area last week, three of them resulting in bites.

BELLEVUE, Wash. - Coyote concerns in Bellevue are prompting warnings from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The department says in the last week, there have been five encounters in the Bellevue area, three of them resulting in bites.

Wildlife officials say three of the attacks happened in the Factoria area, one near Tyee Middle School, and another in the Norwood Village neighborhood.

They say they found two of the coyotes and euthanized one, but the second managed to get away.

Those that have small kids and pets are definitely on edge as the coyotes have approached or attacked children. Although wildlife officials have captured one of the animals, a second is still out there.

Lily Du keeps a close eye on her little ones, Luna and Landon, and the family cat, Loki.

She's watching closer than ever after WDFW reported a coyote attack in her Norwood Village neighborhood.

"Definitely scared because we have our girls," she said.

In that case, the coyote approached a neighbor and bit them on the leg as they sat on a patio.

"She loves all animals, so she would definitely go straight up to one," said Du about her daughter.

Not far away, another coyote encounter near Tyee Middle School prompted a message to parents.

In that case, WDFW says a coyote grabbed a backpack that a child had placed on the sidewalk and disappeared into some nearby bushes.

A letter went out to parents and families at the school, asking them to be on the lookout, saying in part:

"There have been several reports of coyotes in our neighborhood. Fish and Wildlife officers successfully removed a coyote found near our campus."

"They said there was a coyote on the loose and to be careful playing outside," said Sonia Warrier, a student at Tyee Middle School.

She and her sister Nikita are keeping an eye out for coyotes and are concerned about the safety of Chai, the family dog.

"My dad usually walks him at night," said Nikita Warrier.

Also in Factoria, a coyote tried to bite kids waiting at a bus stop, ripping some clothing. It also tried to take a backpack.

"It seems as though this coyote has had some success when it comes to obtaining food from humans and, because it has worked in the past, it has now become its MO," said Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials.

"What’s in your backpack? You want to show me?", asked Du as she went looking through her daughter's backpack.

Du says it wouldn't surprise her if that's what the animals are after.

"The only reason I would think a wild animal would go up to someone would be for food and I would assume kids always have snacks in their backpack," said Du.

If you do encounter a coyote, experts recommend that you stand your ground, stand tall, don't turn and run, make yourself big, make a lot of noise, and if you are able, pick something up and throw it.

WDFW asks that if you see a coyote in either of the neighborhoods where the attacks have occurred, that you contact state wildlife officials.