SPANAWAY, Wash. — Pierce County deputies are looking for a man who allegedly tried to grab a girl while she was walking to school.
The 14-year-old student was walking alone to Bethel High School when she said an unidentified man wearing a ski mask tried grabbing her while she was walking to school.
She said she was able to run away before the man touched her.
The girl told investigators the encounter happened across the street from the school near 224th Street East and 40th Avenue East.
According to a spokesperson for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, the girl said that around 6:20 a.m. on Thursday, a man wearing a ski mask and a hoodie jumped out of the bushes and tried to grab her.
The girl contacted friends and reported what happened when she got to school.
Kristin Haley has a daughter who attends Bethel High School and a son at the nearby Bethel Middle School.
”It’s terrifying because my children are walkers,” said Haley.
Haley’s children usually walk home from school, but Haley took time out of her lunch hour on Thursday to drive them home.
She was also planning on reminding them about ways to stay safe.
”Always keep your head on a swivel, watch your surroundings. If you see something suspicious, keep your phone in your hand,” said Haley.
The school district sent a message to parents after the incident with tips for students to stay safe.
They suggest walking in groups, especially when it's dark. They added that if there is a problem, students should run, make a lot of noise and call 911.