Editors Note: David Toledo, West Seattle resident and Senior Program Director at Unified Outreach Youth Arts Program shared a shocking story via Facebook about a man who entered his home in the early morning hours of Saturday Nov. 18.

PRAISE REPORT: This morning at around 7am I was awoken by screams from my young nieces, “Uncle David! Uncle David! There’s a man in the house!!!” I shook the sleep out of my eyes, sure that I must have heard incorrectly. The screams continued as I exited my room to find a man inside the home, confronting my niece and her three children ages (1, 3, and 5). I demanded that he leave immediately, but he delayed, as though he was considering his options.

Meanwhile, my niece was calling the police on her cell phone. Still the man did not move. I was hesitant to get too close because I wasn’t sure that he wouldn’t become violent, or if he had a weapon. The children were crying and I knew I had to get him out of the house. I opened the door, and grabbing a fistful of his coat sleeve began slowly walking him backward towards the door; still unsure if he had a weapon. He was an hispanic male, around 30, around 5'10, thin/athletic build.

Finally getting him outside I shut and locked the door, watching him through the window. He casually made his way up the block, looking over his shoulder once or twice, but when sure I wasn’t following him he began to look in my neighbor’s windows. I took the phone from my niece and asked the 911 operator if she could give us an ETA on the police arrival, afraid that the burglar might make his way into another home. She could only tell me not to follow the man. Again I repeated that I was worried for the neighbors. Minutes went by and he began moving up the block as I followed from a safe distance. Still on the phone I begged the operator for some sort of timeline on the police arrival. We are located about 5 blocks from the Delridge Precinct in West Seattle; what could be taking so long?

Over 10 minutes had gone by, when he disappeared between two houses. Still I waited for the police. About 5 minutes later the first of several cruisers arrived. I told them that the man had gone between the two houses and they began their search. More officers arrived and they began an on-foot and patrol car search of the area. As I knew it had been over 5 minutes since I last saw the man I thought to myself he may have moved outside of the immediate area. I got in my car and started a circling the block in a wider and wider radius, and ultimately found the man near the north entrance of South Seattle College.

I quickly called 911 to ask that they notify the officers near my house of the new location, and within a few minutes the officers arrived and made the arrest. What a terrifying thing to happen. It shook me, who as an adult find some comfort knowing the man is in custody, but what about the kids? What sort of long-term trauma will this cause. Please be sure you are locking your doors, and that your children know how to scream their lungs out when there is something wrong in the house. If it could happen to me it can happen to you. I’m asking for your prayers for peace in these children’s lives and safety in our neighborhood. I’m also asking for your prayers for our police officers and those that protect us on a daily basis; and that we appreciate how much we truly need them.

Blessings to you and your family during this holiday season. God Bless you in Christ Jesus name. Amen.