Stranger tried to open car doors outside Tacoma elementary school; fought with parent
Sep 18, 2025, 5:34 PM
tacoma jennie reed elementary (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
Parents at Jennie Reed Elementary in Tacoma are frustrated after police say a person approached cars outside the school and started a fight with a parent.
Parents claim the district never notified them about it after.
The incident occurred on Monday. During a fight with a parent, teachers say the suspect reportedly threatened to ‘get their child’ and was punched by the parent before leaving the scene.
The suspect has not been identified.
“Why isn’t my school notifying me that this is happening, so that way we can address it appropriately?” said Stephenie Troftgruben, a district parent.
“It worries me, because at the end of the day, my child goes to the school,” another parent told KIRO 7. “I need to make sure that my child is safe at all times.”
On Tuesday, police reported an unrelated fist fight a few blocks from the campus, where a gun was mentioned but not seen. Parents said they were not informed about this incident either.
Parents said they learned of the incidents after campus staff members were sent an email that week.
The district has not responded to KIRO 7’s requests for details and comment.
It’s the latest frustration for the school community, which has been vocal about upcoming staff cuts.
In response to these cuts, around 35 teachers and paraeducators staged a ‘sick out’ on Friday to protest, leading to a significant staffing shortage at the school, according to an anonymous employee.
Tacoma Public Schools deployed district staff to cover the shortages and maintain school operations.
TPS is conducting an internal investigation into the sickout, which could result in job losses and affect teaching certificates.
It’s not clear how long the investigation could take.
