Cougar Causes Lockdown At Bellevue School

Sat., Sept. 11, 1999

Now they know why it’s called Cougar Ridge Elementary.

Officials put the south Bellevue school on lockdown Friday after a real, live cougar was spotted several blocks away.

A city worker heard the big cat growl Friday morning near the school and notified authorities. Children who were outside playing at recess were called inside, and the school was placed on lockdown, meaning the school’s roughly 580 children weren’t allowed outside for the rest of the day.

Police searched in vain for the prowling cougar Friday, and extra police patrolled the area when school let out and children walked home.

“Any time we think the kids might be at risk on school grounds, we’re going to do whatever we can to keep them safe,” Principal Patty Kirk told KING-TV in Seattle. “That’s, in this case, to bring them inside and make sure the area was clear and that it would be safe for them to go home.”

It was the third reported cougar sighting this week in Seattle’s eastern suburbs. Issaquah city police shot and killed an aggressive cougar near Issaquah’s downtown on Tuesday.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forum series -- which helps to boost local journalism -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax-deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.