WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Police have identified, found and arrested a teenager who they say attempted to kidnap an 8-year-old student outside a West Valley City school Thursday and dragged her before she fought back.
"I've been here for 14 years and I've never seen something like this where somebody actually comes onto our property and attacks one of our students in such a fashion," said Granite School District Chief of Staff Ben Horsley.
The third-grade student at Whittier Elementary School was waiting with her mother for an older sister after class just before 4 p.m. The mother asked her daughter to go to the front of the building to make sure the older sibling knew they were waiting in the back of the school.
On her way, the suspect approached the girl and grabbed her, taking her into an alcove near the exit of the school cafeteria.
"She kicked and screamed, and we had an adult supervisor watching that north area and he heard some screams," Horsley explained.
As the school employee went to investigate, the student was able to free herself and go back to her mother's vehicle. The suspect initially attempted to chase after the girl before fleeing on foot north along 6000 West.
On Friday, police released images and video footage from a surveillance camera that showed the suspect. They asked the public to help them identify who he was.
The school district announced Saturday that after receiving numerous tips, they learned who the suspect was and police were able to find him. The 16-year-old boy was booked into juvenile detention. Officials said he is a student in a "non-traditional" program in the Granite School District, and he lives near the elementary school where the attack took place.
"We are extremely grateful for the investigative efforts of Granite and West Valley City Police detectives and members of the community who came forward with tips and information over the past 48-hours," a statement from the district read. "We are thankful for the concern and support of the West Valley City community during this investigation."
While the student was unharmed and safe, Horsley knows things could have been much worse.
"Considering what could have possibly happened, this is every parent's worst nightmare, right?"
The district is warning parents and students to be aware and to know what to do if they are ever threatened.
"I'll tell you what I told my 9-year-old daughter last night, that if you're ever uncomfortable, if somebody makes you to feel uncomfortable, no matter who they are, you scream and you fight for your life and you don't stop until you're with somebody that you trust," a visibly emotional Horsley said, "and we should always be having those regular conversations."
Watch below has district officials detail attempted student abduction:
"We're quite concerned considering the brazen nature of this attack that this individual might seek to come to other locations," Horsley said.
The school district said additional officers will be in the area of the school as the investigation continues.
"It's scary bringing your kids to somewhere where you feel like they're being safe and then just a random person tries to take your kids away," said Teresa, the mother of a two students at the school.
Teresa says her daughter called her Thursday afternoon after seeing a man cross the street near the school.
"She called me at work saying 'Mommy, there's a scary person here,'" Teresa said. "She says that he got closer to her, but since she was with the group, so thank God nothing happened."
The school district had additional officers in the area of the school as the investigation continued. Horsley was also asking all of the available adults in their elementary schools and other locations to be available and present after school on Friday out of an abundance of caution.
