BOTHELL, Wash. — AUGUST 25, 2016, UPDATE: The teacher's story was fake, police said. Cal Pygott admitted he fabricated the story in an interview with investigators. Follow this link to read the update on Pygott's Bothell teacher attack story.
ORIGINAL STORY: Police said they are reviewing surveillance video, trying to piece together what led to the violent assault of a popular Bothell High School shop teacher in his classroom Thursday afternoon.
Dozens of officers swarmed onto the campus, after a staff member found the teacher bleeding from the head and staggering outside a doorway Thursday at 4:20 p.m.-- an hour and 17 minutes after the last class was dismissed.
Bothell police Sgt. Ken Seuberlich said at a news conference Friday that the teacher had been hit in the head with a blunt object and had a zip tie was around his neck when he was found outside the shop by another teacher. Seuberlich didn't know what the object was and didn't know if anything had been removed from the shop.
When officers arrived they saw blood on the front of his head, but he was in and out of consciousness,” said Bothell police Sgt. Cedric Collins.
Bothell PD says it was school district's decision to shut down campus today. @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/2yswcLSmBL
— Patranya Bhoolsuwan (@PatranyaKIRO7) May 20, 2016
Harborview Medical Center said the teacher was treated and released Thursday night.
Collins said the popular teacher, who students identified as Cal Pygott, could not tell officers who assaulted him, or why, before he was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. He was released Thursday night.
Pygott's family thanked the community for the support.
"The Pygott family appreciates the well wishes, care, concern and prayers of so many people," wrote Cal and Mary Pygott.
Pygott's son, Erik Pygott, told KIRO 7 that his dad was surprised by the attacker. He was wearing ear protection and thought the door was locked. His son said the attacker used items from inside the shop to hurt Cal Pygott. There was a stack of zip ties nearby, used to bundle wood. The attacker put one around Pygott's neck.
Police and school staff immediately ordered a lockdown at the school.
“All we heard is that a male teacher was assaulted," said Samantha Fisher, whose drama club was moved into a safe room during a search for suspects.
“Later on, they rounded us up into the cafeteria, so they could search the school completely and have everyone in the same place," she said.
But police say no suspect was ever found. Detectives say they hoped to speak to Pygott after his condition was upgraded to satisfactory, and they're searching video from surveillance cameras covering the entire school.
Classes were canceled for Friday, because police still consider the area a crime scene.
Colette Highberger heard about the attack and couldn't understand who would want to hurt Pygott. She is friends with Pygott and sells his art at her Shoreline Store, Garden Essentia. "He's a wonderful man, talented, sweet, a good husband, and a good father. It doesn't make any sense, " said Highberger on Friday.
Police say there were social media rumors swirling about what happened to Pygott, who taught shop classes at Bothell High for 16 years, and has been called “The World’s Greatest Shop Teacher” on social media sites.
“We saw a couple of posts on social media about specific things that we can't even confirm,” Collins said. “Anything about what it was about, the nature of his injuries, or a weapon or something used, nothing has not been confirmed yet,” he said.
Seuberlich called the attack a "highly unusual event."
Anyone with information is urged to call the Bothell police tip line at
Students will return to school on Monday. The district told students to wear blue to show their support for Pygott.
On Thursday night, school officials sent a message to families that school would be closed Friday.
Good Evening Bothell High School Families:We are calling to inform you that Bothell High School will be closed tomorrow, Friday May 20. After school this afternoon, a staff member was transported to the hospital due to an assault from an unknown suspect. Police put the school in lockdown as part of its investigation and lifted that lockdown before 7 p.m. Staff and students who were on campus did an excellent job following safety protocols during the incident.This is an active police investigation, and as a result, Bothell High School is closed tomorrow, Friday, May 20. Also, because this is an active investigation, we ask that all students remain off campus tomorrow. Thank you.
Cox Media Group
