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A growing number of Seattle high school students have been mugged walking home over the weeks following an initial incident on Sept. 19 and a majority of them have been BHS’s own.
The robberies have been targeted towards unsuspecting teens in the Ballard area, and in late October have extended to happening nearhigh schools such as Roosevelt and Bishop Blanchet. Students have reported masked individuals jumping out of cars and approaching them with violence and verbal threats.
In mid-October, an anonymous student was attacked by five individuals in a white sedan on their way home from a friend’s house. It was around 7:30 p.m. when they heard someone yell at them to stay where they were.
“And I didn’t, I just kept walking, and then one of the guys started throwing punches at me,” anonymous said. “One of them grabbed me and I just started screaming as loud as I could and they left. They didn’t take any of my stuff, but they roughed me up.”
The student added that while they weren’t on their phone, they definitely had their AirPods in which they believe to be the reason they were targeted. They noted that there reaction was likely what scared them off without taking anything. As a result, they now carry mace in their pocket, “just in case.”
These instances have been serious causes for alarm within the community. Principal Hunt first addressed the happenings within a press release on Ballard’s website that encouraged parents to talk with their students about personal safety and assured that the Seattle Police Department (SPD) was investigating it.
“I share this information not to evoke fear or panic, but rather to help you consider how you and your family can stay safe when you are out in the community,” Hunt said. “Please know that student safety and well-being at Ballard High School is our top priority.”
Security specialist Dwayne Mattis shares the extreme concern for student safety right now.
“Nothing to the extent of what happened has ever happened during my time here,” Mattis said. “You’ll see me after school at the bus stop and during lunch just making sure that no one’s bothering our kids.”
Mattis and Principal Hunt both emphasized awareness as the key to safety in these unpredictable situations.
“There are things that we can do as a community at Ballard,” Mattis said. “When walking home, we can be in groups and be aware of our surroundings. Instead of having both headphones in, maybe just have one in the ear so you can hear when something’s coming near you. Again, it’s always safety in numbers – it can’t be stressed enough.”
“I just want my kids to know that if they need me my office is always open, and my heart goes out to the young kids and their family and anyone else who was affected,” Mattis said.
