Search continues for man who tried to take student

(Update)

Earl Kitchener Elementary School re-opened Friday morning, one day after a man attempted to abduct a kindergarten student from the school yard. While parents admit that this is an odd situation at an otherwise safe school, it does bring safety procedures into question.

As the school day was set to begin at Earl Kitchener Elementry, it looks like most days. But it was clear today parents are holding their children a little tighter.

Jessie Chavot, parent: “It was very shocking, it was very concerning my daughter is in kindergarten so she was in the school yard at the time the incident occurred.

Now it all happened around 12 noon Thursday. The kids were playing out here in the playground that’s when a man managed to get a young child outside of the playground and and was walking in that direction down Homewood and it’s at that time that somebody from the neighbourhood actually intervened and managed to scare the man off. And speaking with parents this morning they were thankful for that intervention.

Nicholas Kevlahan walks his kids to school every day and has some worries on this day: “I’d feel more comfortable if they’d caught him. This is a really unusual occurence, but it would be nice if they were to catch him.”

Meghan Evans: “I think it’s a wake up call and we definitely need to be more vigilant and ya I think there’s probably more that we can do.”

There was a police presence both on the school grounds and on the street.

Debbie McGreal-Dinning: “We want to ensure that the parents as well as the children that are attending that school as well as other schools in the area that we’re there for them.”

The school did not know if security will be increased but school Superintendant Sue Dunlop says that they are working on proper procedure while re-assuring the kids.

Sue Dunlop: Superintendant: “We’re reviewing this morning with students, safety procedures that kind of thing but we also know it’s really important to bring, to make those routines at the school as normal as possible because kids really need that.”

There will be an information session this Tuesday at six thirty to talk about possible security measures at Earl Kitchener.

Police are looking for a man who is white, 5′ 7″, 160 pounds, slight build, sculpted cheek bones. He has chin length wavy hair and was wearing a grey t-shirt. Anyone with information is being asked to give Hamilton police a call.