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Three Bethel School District students reportedly chased by man
Deputies with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department are investigating multiple instances of a person chasing students in the Bethel School District near their schools.
SPANAWAY, Wash. - Investigators say a man dressed in all black is stalking kids in the Bethel School District, and they are concerned these incidents could be attempted abductions.
According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, three separate teenagers reported that a person wearing all black stalked them.
"We don’t know if it’s all the same person, but given it’s the same time, and they're all 13-, 14-year-old kids, we think it could be related," said Sgt. Darren Moss.
On Wednesday, Jan. 10, around 7 a.m., a 13-year-old student walking to Spanaway Middle School said he noticed a person dressed in all black was following him. The student ran toward school, but the person chased after him. When he got close enough to see the school, the suspect turned around and walked away.
The next day, around 6:20 a.m., a 14-year-old girl said a man dressed in all black jumped out of the bushes and tried to grab her around the waist. The suspect did not touch her, and the girl was able to run away toward Bethel High School.
On Friday around 6:30 am, a 13-year-old boy waiting for the bus dealt with a similar situation. The boy said that as he was walking, he saw a man in a black hoodie standing in his way. He took another path, but the person started following him, then running after him. The boy made it back home safely.
"It makes me feel very disturbed and worried about the kids on this block, if they have to contend with something like that," said Jeff Smith.
Smith lives on the same street where the incident involving the 14-year-old girl happened. He said it is especially worrying because there are so many kids in the neighborhood who walk to school.
In all the incidents, investigators said the person wearing all black said nothing to the kids. That is a concern because the suspect's intentions could be anything, said Moss.
"We don’t want to see another kid getting chased. We don’t want any kids ending up missing. This could potentially be very serious, very dangerous person. And again, we’re going to try and do everything we can," said Moss.
The person in the incidents is described as wearing dark clothes and reported as 5’10" to 6’1" tall. There is no other description of the suspect(s).
Officials with the Bethel School District put a warning out to parents on Tuesday. They suggested families talk to their kids about how to stay safe and provided these tips:
- Always walk in groups or pairs to and from school.
- Never accept rides from strangers.
- If you are approached by a stranger, keep a safe distance and think of a direction to run if needed.
- Run to a safe place – home, school, church, store, etc. – to find help.
- Shout and yell as loud as you can.
- Never give out your name or address to people you do not know. This is especially true on the internet.
- Always let your parents know where you are.