His professional title reads “Elementary Student and Family Advocate.” To students at Graham Hill Elementary, Kristopher Green’s title should be “superhero.”
Green has devoted himself to helping kids through challenges. Last week, he helped some young students through a real life and death challenge -- rushing them to safety from an accused child lurer -- who was shooting at them.
Green volunteers to walk groups of students to and from Graham Elementary toward Graham St. and Rainier Avenue South -- because students who live within a mile of the school lost bus service this year, due to budget cuts. It’s an area with one of the highest crime rates in Seattle. Last Tuesday, he heard one of the students call for help.
“I heard Mr. Green! Mr. Green! Somebody's trying to get (a student) into his car!" Green says.
Green confronted 33-year-old Merhawi Tsehaye, as Tsehaye was allegedly ordering 9-year-old children into his car while reaching out of his car window to shake the children’s hands. Green says he stepped between Tsehaye and the students.
"Immediately, I reached out and grabbed my student's arm, saying “he’s not going to shake your hand,” Green said. “I’m giving him eye contact. I’m letting him know there’s an adult here right now. But he doesn't care, he looks back at me and says 'Do you want to die today?!'”
When Tsehaye pulled a pistol, Green grabbed the third-grader's hand and ran. He says Tsehaye pursued them with his car, first pulling up on the sidewalk before throwing it into reverse to follow them.
“Then as we’re running here, we hear shots-bang! bang! bang! So we hit the ground,” Green explained. “I still had the student’s arm the whole time and we just turn and get in a track meet."
As the two ran for their lives, Green guided the student to shelter behind a house. Seconds later, the family in the house allowed Green and the student to come inside.
Seattle police say Tsehaye crashed into a parked truck, and got out to look for Green and the child on foot. Green called 911, while Tsehaye ducked into a 7-Eleven at Rainier Ave South and Graham St. Little did Tsehaye know, two students he was chasing minutes before, were also hiding inside the store.
“They were hiding out in the bathroom though, and he never saw them, thank God,” Green said. Seattle police found Tsehaye walking away from the store and arrested him. They say he was carrying a 40-caliber handgun. Tsehaye is facing a slew charges, from attempted kidnapping to felony harassment, child luring and hit-and-run.
Green’s students at Graham Hill wrote thank you cards, calling him a superhero, “Sorry," Green said. “It's too much."
Green says this story should serve as the most urgent example for Seattle Public Schools to restore bus service for children forced to walk up to a mile in high crime areas for their safety.
“Please, we were shot at,” he said. “Whatever the hold-up is in the district, get them the bus back. That's what they need.”
Seattle Public Schools sent KIRO 7 this written response to Green’s urgings:
“We want to make sure that we are maximizing our transportation resources so that our students and their families are safe and feel safe going to and from school. The incident near Graham Hill Elementary school in South Seattle earlier this week brought forth additional questions and concerns about how the district is prioritizing resources for this neighborhood. We are continuing to have conversations internally and with the community in order to find resolutions."
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