Seattle Police investigate possible child abduction in West Seattle
Oct 25, 2013, 6:30 AM | Updated: 6:30 am
Police have been unable to confirm the report of a possible child abduction outside Gatewood Elementary School in West Seattle Thursday.
Police reportedly received a call that a man was seen putting a child in a pickup truck near Gatewood Elementary School.
Police said via twitter they were told a 12-year-old child wearing a pink top was taken from the area. The report came from a 6-year-old student who reported seeing the abduction happen at a nearby house.
12 y/o female reportedly taken in W Sea, 6-12 year old white female, wearing pink top. Officers still investigating.
— Seattle Police Dept. (@SeattlePD) October 24, 2013
The suspect’s truck was described as silver, no canopy. The suspect was described as a white man in his 30′s or 40′s with, “short black hair at the back of the head transitioning to brown in the middle and blond longer hair at the front,” say police. He was wearing a thigh-length black robe or coat.
While investigating officers were able to locate two additional witnesses, one adult and one child, who saw the vehicle and girl, but did not see any foul play.
A woman who answered the phone at Gatewood Elementary told KIRO Radio all students were accounted for, but the school sheltered in place while police investigated.
Special Education teacher Timothy Chambers said they told students it wasn’t safe to be outside.
“We practice where you pull the shade down, you go to a specific place in the room, and you lock the door so nobody can go in,” said Chambers.
Seattle police officers pulled over vehicles matching the description the child gave.
At this point officers have not found any evidence that a crime occurred, but police say they will continue to investigate and follow up on any clues or leads they receive.
Police ask that anyone with information about the incident or who may have any video or camera footage pertaining to this incident, the are, the truck or persons in question is asked to call 911 or Seattle Police and refer to the case.
