Kitchener school warns parents of man allegedly watching, following students
A Kitchener elementary school is responding to reports of a suspicious man who appeared to be watching or following students.
The first incidents at Smithson Public School, in the Stanley Park area, were reported on Jan. 17.
In an email to parents, the school said a “white man was standing across the road from Smithson [Public School] at second break watching the students.” That was reported to the school by a parent. The message went on to say “after school, one student went to the Short Stop store and the man followed and went into the pizza place and watched her from the sidewalk on Krug Street until she got to the construction/crossing guard area.”
The man, according to the email, was described as white, approximately 60-years-old, and wearing a black toque, black sweatpants and a black coat.
CTV News reached out to the Waterloo Regional Police Service but they said they had no information on these events.
ANOTHER INCIDENT REPORTED A WEEK LATER
The email from Smithson Public School warned parents of another incident on Jan. 23.
A parent reported that two Grade 6 boys felt they were being following as they were returning home after school. The students were on a Burbank Street walking pathway when they spotted the man. They decided to take a longer route home, towards Ottawa Street South and Nottingham Avenue. The man allegedly continued following the boys. Once they lost sight of the man, the two split up and arrived home safely.
The school says one of their parents called police.
Police confirmed they are investigating the Jan. 23 report.
According to police, the man was described as between 50 and 60-years-old with a slim build, wearing a baby blue hat, black gloves and a dark gray or black jacket.
PARENT REACTS
“When you’re sending your children to school, you think that’s a safe place for them where they can go to feel safe playing outside, but apparently it’s not so,” said McKayla Brunet, whose six-year-old son goes to Smithson Public School. “It’s pretty scary and it’s unnerving.”
The email from Smithson Public School informed parents that a “police officer will be walking the route the boys took to see if anyone has cameras that show the sidewalk in front of the house.”
“I would like to be able to send my child to school without fear of being kidnapped or taken by a stranger, so I would like police to be involved and find the person or persons,” added Brunet.
SAFETY TIPS FROM SCHOOL BOARD
The Waterloo Region District School Board is urging parents to have a conversation with their children about street safety. They shared the following tips for students:
- Stay with your friend on your walk home
- Go to the nearest store/house/school you know and ask for help if you are feeling scared
- Don’t put yourself into a dangerous or odd-feeling situation
- Trust your instincts/gut – if it feels weird or unsafe, say something to an adult
- If you are being followed by a vehicle, run in the opposite direction
- Put a nametag inside your backpack
- Take a different route home
-- With reporting by CTV Kitchener's Carmen Wong
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.