Sex offender accused of attempted kidnapping at Aurora school
DENVER (KDVR) — A man was arrested after allegedly walking onto the grounds of an elementary school and approaching students during recess on Friday.
On Friday afternoon, families of students at Black Forest Hills Elementary School received a phone message from the school saying, “This afternoon during fifth grade recess, an unidentified adult male entered the field, approached a group of students, engaged them briefly, and then exited property.”
The message went on to say that students were brought inside from recess, and district security and police were looking into the incident. The school said parents or guardians were welcome to pick their children up early, otherwise, students would be dismissed as normal with increased security and police present as a precaution.
FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox
Police said that at some point, it “appeared that this person attempted to grab a young boy” and then left the school grounds before officers arrived. Soon after, police found someone nearby who matched the suspect description. He was identified as 33-year-old Solomon Galligan, a sex offender, according to Aurora police.
On Sunday, Cherry Creek School District 5 sent out an update saying that officers decided to arrest Galligan after questioning him.
FOX31 obtained Galligan’s criminal records from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. In January, according to the documents, Galligan was arrested on failure to register as a sex offender. Similar charges on Galligan’s record date back to 2012.
Aurora police told FOX31 that Galligan’s sex offender registry is linked to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office.
Aurora police said Galligan was arrested Friday on one count of attempted kidnapping.
Galligan is scheduled for a hearing on advisement on Monday, according to court records.
A message to parents from the school district
The school district offered the following tips for parents and guardians of students at Black Forest Hills Elementary:
Remind students to be watchful when walking to and from school, to walk in pairs or with friends, and to never accept a ride from a stranger
Remind students to report anything suspicious to police or a trusted adult at school
The district also reminded parents to file a report if they see or hear potentially dangerous behavior or anything that could put students at risk to the school, police, or through Safe2Tell.
6-year-old found safe, suspect in custody after Amber Alert
The school safety team will review security protocols on Monday, the district said, per the usual procedure after any safety incident. There will also be increased supervision at the school this week, and staff will reinforce safety practices with students to ensure they feel safe outside at recess.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
