Father of UW student flies to Seattle to confront suspected criminal threatening his daughter

SEATTLE — The Seattle streets are a little safer today after a crime-fighting dad took on a suspected criminal.

Bill Steinkirchner says his daughter was harassed, threatened, and assaulted by a man near UW’s campus on Sunday. She was shaken but unharmed, says Steinkirchner.

Steinkirchner lives in California - but says he booked the next flight to Seattle with hopes of confronting the man.

“I think any father would’ve done the same thing. It’s my baby girl,” he says.

When Steinkirchner arrived in Seattle, he says he used descriptions and photos from his daughter and fellow students to find the suspect. Students reported on a UW message board of being harassed by the same man throughout the weekend.

Steinkirchner says he confronted the suspect in the University district, but the man started running. Steinkirchner says he chased the man through alleys, as he called the police.

“I’m on the phone with the police and they’re like ‘You can’t chase him.’ They go, ‘Stop following him’. I go ‘No!’ I say ‘This is my daughter, I’ve got to get this guy.’”

When police arrived they put the suspect into handcuffs. Officers then brought Steinkirchner’s daughter to the scene to identify him.

A nearby security guard also confirmed the man’s actions to police.

Police then took the suspect, 23-year-old Ryan Dileo, into custody.

In a statement to KIRO 7, the Seattle Police Department writes, ‘A nearby security guard identified Dileo as the suspect in other similar incidents involving swinging a broom. Officers arrested Dileo for investigation of felony harassment. Dileo was booked in the King County Jail.’

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