Man accused in West Seattle attempted kidnapping of 8-year-old charged
Man charged in 'terrifying' West Seattle attempted kidnapping
A West Seattle man is charged with attempted kidnapping after allegedly grabbing an 8-year-old girl.
WEST SEATTLE, Wash. - A West Seattle man has been charged with attempted kidnapping after he was accused of grabbing an 8-year-old and trying to drag her away.
The child said she was waiting for a friend outside a house when the incident happened.
According to court documents, the girl said she was sitting on a stump in the yard when the man grabbed her. When she screamed, police say other kids and adults came to her aid.
What they're saying:
"It’s a great neighborhood and area to live in," said Pamela Tucker, a West Seattle resident. "Very family oriented, lots of kids around, they are playing sports."
Tucker is a grandmother and says it's an area her family and others feel safe in.
"It just has a very wholesome feel to it," said Tucker.
That's why she was surprised to learn that an attempted kidnapping was reported at 36th and SW Othello.
"I’m shocked, I’m just shocked," said Tucker.
Seattle Police identified the man charged in the case as 22-year-old Christien Bugge-Marcum.
The backstory:
Police say the girl told them Bugge-Marcum first walked by her with a skateboard and backpack, and she thought nothing of it. About five minutes later, she said he came back and ran towards her, and grabbed her arm without saying anything.
Court documents state, "she could feel the suspect squeezing her arm and felt pressure."
Police said witnesses, including a 9-year-old inside a house, heard her scream. That child looked outside and saw a man "pulling {her} with one hand while holding a knife in his other hand."
From there, that child and another in the home alerted an adult. When they went outside, the man was gone, and they saw the girl crying.
Court documents say the 22-year-old is from the Sequim/Port Angeles area and recently moved to the neighborhood to live with friends.
In a police interview, the man said he thought people living in the West Seattle neighborhood were uptight, saying he got in trouble for smoking nearby.
Then Bugge-Marcum allegedly told police he believes neighbors might have "pinned whatever happened on him."
Tucker is just glad nobody was hurt.
"I suppose random events are going to happen everywhere. So I think it’s incredibly atypical and a one-off situation, and I’m glad the girl wasn’t harmed. I’m glad that didn’t happen," said Tucker.
What's next:
Bugge-Marcum is currently being held on a $750,000 bond and is expected back in court on Monday.
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The Source: Information in this story came from Seattle Police, court documents filed in King County Superior Court, and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.