Man Tries to Lure Student Near Redmond Elementary

Police and school officials are asking parents and students to be on the lookout for a man who attempted to lure away a fifth-grade girl near Wednesday morning.

According to a news release from the , the 11-year-old girl was dropped off early on the eastside of 166th Avenue Northeast before most other students. At around 7:45 a.m., she was approached from behind by a man who grabbed her wrist and asked if she would like to go with him.

The student said "no," but the man persisted and continued to pull her in his direction. The girl then screamed, which scared the man off.

The suspect, described as an adult black male who is approximately 6-feet tall and has a stocky build, ran south toward the corner of 166th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 80th Street, police said. He was wearing a black hat, dark-gray hooded sweatshirt, dirty dark-blue jeans, and carrying a dark-green leather satchel. 

Anyone with information on the incident or suspect is asked to call 911.

spokesperson Kathryn Reith said Redmond Elementary is sending home letters to notify parents of the incident and ask them to remind their children about routine safety rules. The school does not plan to alter its dismissal procedures at this point, she said.

“The police department has not told us that there’s any need for any particular change in what we do today in terms of sending kids home,” Reith said, adding that the district is asking parents and students to be on the lookout for the suspect.