On January 6 at 10:18 a.m., school staff at Franklin High School called 911 to report an assault on a teacher by a student, according to a Seattle police report. The teacher had gone home for the day due to being "very emotionally distraught." Apparently the incident escalated over collateral for a pencil. The police report states:

[The student] had no pencil and wished to borrow one. As per classroom policy, [the student] had to hand over an item of value as collateral. He gave over his cell phone. He then proceeded to fall asleep in class. When he woke up the pencil had gone from his desk. He went to ask for his phone back anyway. [The teacher] refused. The suspect became very agitated. He demanded his phone back and swept items from the [teacher]'s desk. He then went into the desk drawers and began to look for the phone. The [teacher] took the phone and left the classroom walking toward the office. The [student] followed the [teacher] and kicked her left foot in an attempt to trip her.

The student, who, according to the police report, had also given a written statement to school security (not quoted in the report) was taken into custody. After being read his Miranda rights, police say, the student confirmed that "he had attempted to trip the teacher but was unsuccessful."

The police report also states that "officers attempted to contact [the teacher] by phone but were unable to do so." WHY NOT? THEY KNOW SHE HAS A CELL PHONE.