A man suspected of being high on meth allegedly jumped over the fence at a Seattle elementary school, entered a portable classroom, and attempted to steal students’ backpacks. It prompted a school lockdown. But when police arrived, the school principal would not cooperate. It likely played a role in the suspect then attempting to hijack a delivery van moments later.
The suspect is 20-year-old Liban Harasam and, according to police, is a High Utilizer — the designation for prolific offenders that the Seattle City Attorney will now prioritize after arrest.
Police say Harasam arrived at Sand Point Elementary school just before 2:30pm last Thursday. Police documents allege he hopped the fence to the campus where, according to a parent, he was allegedly “harassing students and staff.” The parent said he “proceeded to rifle through [student] backpacks and touch many of them on their heads and backs” while wielding a tennis racket.
Police were called after the school went into lockdown. But Principal Richard Baileykaze, according to the incident report, would not cooperate with police, effectively preventing an arrest.