Seattle police arrested a 60-year-old man after he forced his way into a high school, attacked a security guard, and pointed a gun at a teenager while threatening two teens sitting in a car.
The man was walking his two dogs when he approached the school in the 1700 block of East Union Street and “forcefully pushed past” the security guard to speak with the principal, who told him to leave.
Shortly after leaving the school, the man walked to East Pike Street near 16th Avenue and approached two teens sitting in a car. With a knife in one hand and a gun in the other, the man began screaming at the teenagers, telling them they couldn’t park on the street, according to Seattle police.
While holding the knife, the man reached into the car and grabbed a 15-year-old boy by the neck. He also pointed a gun at the boy.
The teen escaped the man’s grip and told him he was calling 911. The man then walked away with his dogs.
Police arrived and tracked the man to his nearby home. Officers said when they spoke with the suspect, who was under the influence, he claimed he had no guns. After obtaining a search warrant, officers found two guns in the home.
The man was arrested for investigation of burglary and felony harassment and booked into King County Jail. His dogs were taken to a shelter.
Officers later obtained surveillance footage showing the man pushing his way into the school and a photo of him holding the knife.
The incident highlights concerns about school security and armed individuals confronting minors near educational facilities. The man’s ability to initially access school grounds despite security presence raises questions about protocols for preventing unauthorized entry.
The case involves multiple serious charges including burglary for the unlawful school entry, felony harassment for threatening the teen with weapons, and potential assault charges for grabbing the minor by the neck.