PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — The Pierce County Sheriff's Department is investigating multiple reports of a man in dark clothing following and chasing children around the Bethel School District. In one instance, the man attempted to grab a teenage girl's waist.
Three similar reports have been made so far. The first happened on Wednesday, Jan. 10, and the most recent incident occurred Tuesday, Jan. 16.
All the incidents happened to students walking to school before 8 a.m. Three of the students were between 13 and 14 years old.
All of the students reported the man was above 5-foot-10, wearing all-black clothing, and didn't say a word to them.
None of the students were touched during the encounters.
Last Thursday, KING 5 reported a 14-year-old girl said a man in a ski mask jumped out of the bushes and tried to grab her. She was able to run away before being touched.
The day before, a 13-year-old boy said he was chased, but when he got into the sight of school staff, the man turned away.
On Friday, Jan. 12, a 13-year-old boy noticed a man in a black hoodie following him and walking fast, presumably to catch up to the student. When the student started to run, so did the man following him. The boy made it home safely.
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.
One mother told KING 5 she would talk to all of her children and tell them the importance of being aware of their surroundings.