Edmonds School District issues letter regarding attempted luring of Meadowdale HS student

After a Meadowdale High School student reported that a strange man attempted to lure them into his vehicle while the student was walking to school Dec. 9, Edmonds School District officials released the following letter regarding the incident:

Dear Edmonds School District families and staff, 

We want to share information regarding the report of an attempted luring of a Meadowdale High School student while walking from home to a school bus stop on Monday morning, Dec. 9.

First, we want to let you know the student is safe. The student and their family are currently working with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office to investigate and document the incident. The student was walking near 156th Street Southwest and 35th Avenue West in Lynnwood Monday morning when the suspicious adult male driving a greenish sedan attempted to lure the student into the vehicle by offering a ride to the school bus stop. The student ignored the suspect and was able to safely make it onto the school bus.

We are grateful the student is safe and that the student’s parents reported this incident through Safe Schools Alert. However, incidents of this nature need to be reported to law enforcement as soon as possible when they happen. 

If anyone has any information on this matter, you are asked to dial 911 and report it to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.  Any other questions or concerns may be reported to Meadowdale High School Resource Officer Jacob Hubby at 425-431-1755. You can also call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). 

We encourage you to remind your students the importance of being aware of their surroundings and taking appropriate and safe steps if they encounter suspicious activity. Safety measures to have a conversation about may include:

  • Pointing out places students can go for help when walking to or from school.
  • Reminding students to stay with a group whenever possible.
  • Teaching students tricks that would-be abductors use, such as offering rides, money or asking for help.
  • Reminding students to always exercise situation awareness while walking anywhere in public. For example, pay attention to your surroundings more than your phone.    
  • Tell students to call 911 AS SOON AS POSSIBLE after they’ve reached a safe place.  A timely law enforcement notification will allow responding officers to potentially locate the perpetrator and investigate the matter appropriately.

The safety of students is our highest priority and we take this matter very seriously. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Greg Schwab, Assistant Superintendent
Justin Irish, Assistant Superintendent

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Real first and last names — as well as city of residence — are required for all commenters.
This is so we can verify your identity before approving your comment.