We got this disturbing note from a reader yesterday. Forewarned is forearmed.
Today I walked across the west lawn at The Good Shepherd and when about half across a man from about 30 feet away spoke loudly to me. He complimented me on my bright-colored coat. He caught up with me and I explained I bought it at Value Village.
I expected him to move on but as I walked north across the grass he followed beside and kept talking and asking questions. When we reached the NW corner of the grassy area I glanced over at him and noticed he was folding a jack knife and I inwardly panicked and I wondered why the knife had been open.
I crossed 50th on Meridian and turned sharp to the east and he followed. All the time he was talking loudly right next to me. At Keystone I turned abruptly north and he stayed with me. He stayed with me to almost where I live and suddenly he asked me a question and I said I did not know the answer and he yelled “No more to do with you!” He then walked away going east on 55th/56th. I was totally unnerved and saw a neighbor and told him what happened and then at my home I phoned 911 and then I phoned the manager at The Good Shepherd.
The gentlemen is normally dressed, fashionable brown fedora-type hat, blue Gortex REI-like rain jacket and light-colored trousers. I then had to walk to the UW Hospital so I changed my appearance. Be alert and be with a companion. I was sort of unnerved.
Sort of unnerved. There’s the understatement of the day!
Did he ask you if you knew he was going to ask you that? Did he ask if you were Jewish?
I am familiar with a man who sounds very similar.
Did you ask him to leave you alone? Did you ask him to stop following you? Did you make it clear you were uncomfortable by using the words, “you’re making me uncomfortable?”
This is really frightening. I walk through that area all the time. So does my son! Has anyone reported this to SPD?
This is frightening. I walk through that area all the time and my kids do, too.
Rachel, could you actually rephrase your (I think) helpful note without the question marks? If you happen to know he is responsive to people who ask him to leave them alone, that would be useful to know.
We can’t simply expect people to know what triggers an obviously mentally ill person will or won’t respond adequately to.
It sounds like schizophrenia, from the description in the original story and there are no sure fire ways to defuse or avoid confrontation. Even if he’s harmless, he’s frightening to the writer of the story.
If you know more about his situation then perhaps you could talk to him or the people who care for him, at least about the knife. We have to be sensitive to the needs of the ill, but we also need to be cognizent of the fact that his behavior would be terrifying to someone unfamiliar with his antics.
I am a 200 pound man with no problems telling someone to “go away” but I think I would be scared to provoke this guy otherwise.
To be fair … for example, I think I’ve seen the guy rachel describes for what seems like decades, and if he has ever actually hurt anyone, they apparently didn’t catch him at it, as he’s still around. Whoever it was in the present case is probably equally harmless. Be sure to pay attention while crossing the street, even while being hassled by weirdos, because normal but inattentive people driving cars pose a real threat to your person.
That’s not helpful, Donn.
Wow, glad he didn’t use that knife! Good job trying to get away without provoking him.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for sharing your experience with Wallyhood. We live close by and there is a preschool at the church on Keystone. We and our preschool friends are always out and about in that area (not to mention all of the kids who attend Meridian). I’m so glad you are OK and thank you for calling the police. I agree with Frankie, you never know what will set someone off and you did the right thing by following your gut and not provoking him.
There are far too many mentally ill people who have been dumped unsupervised back into society after budgets run out for treatment. This man needs to be picked up by the police and taken for a psych eval at Harborview. The fact that he displayed a knife is very unnerving, especially when you think about the murderer of Shannon Harp on Capital Hill a few years ago, or the two men who had a random encounter with a paranoid schizophrenic on Capitol Hill last year and were suddenly hacked to death with a hatchet by him.
Glad this worked out with no physical harm; the emotional strain is a problem too. Makes us all less happy about walking through our many-splendoured park. I wish everyone who can carries a cell phone and uses it whenever there is a doubt about safety.
I have been in contact with the Good Shepherd managing/advisory committee. Working to bring more comfort and safety to the park.
Judy
As a professional social worker who’s been trained in prevention & management of disturbed behavior, it sounds like “unnerved” responded appropriately to this person of interest who was asking questions, following, being intrusive, displaying a knife and making a statement, “no more to do with you.” However, some of the questions “Rachel” posed in her repy are appropriate too. Although I wouldn’t pose them as questions to an uninvited stranger. 1st response is to ignore unsolicited questions/comments , then get away as fast and as safely as possible. Trust your gut even if a part of you is telling you to be polite and friendly. We are socialized to be polite, often being so when it’s too late to reverse out of close physical proximity. #2 : Then if we have to use words, use words assertively…not passive aggressively or aggressively: “Leave me alone or I will call the police,” works real well. No need to say please or explain or swear or raise your voice. Simply say assertively, “Leave me alone”, and/or “go away or I’ll call the police.” Regardless, get away as soon as you can and get support. I’ve had numerous “encounters w/all kinds of folks both professionally and personally. Perps/mental health challenges do not usually want to engage w/someone who is moving away, using verbal and non-verbal assertive non-violent communication. Boundaries, boundaries, boundaries…also pay attention to whatever might help you remember this person when making a police report. Bottom line: Get away and do your best not to provoke by being defensively aggressive or passive aggressive. They love that!
Thank you for sharing your experience. I think I met this guy at Trader Joe’s. he followed me, would not leave me alone, saying “what’s your name, where do your live, did you drive your car today,” becoming more and more unfriendly as I told him that I would like him to move away from me. Reported it to an employee, he was escorted out of the store. Description is the same, plus i think he had a goatee.
I appreciate Joan’s comments.