Man Arrested At Champlin Park High ID'd; Security Changes Coming
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Administrators at Champlin Park High School say they are reviewing security measures following an incident Wednesday where a 42-year-old man was arrested after allegedly meeting up with an adult student for sex in a bathroom.
In a letter to parents Thursday, the north metro school said that visitors to the building might now be escorted to their designated locations. The school also emphasized that current protocol requires all visitors to check in and state their purpose before accessing the building.
"We'll try to maintain our family-friendly feel, however visitors will notice a change moving forward," the letter said.
NEW: Latest letter to @ChamplinParkHS parents after 42 YO man was arrested after alleged sex acts with student in school bathroom @WCCO pic.twitter.com/zVxMcTP0tY
— Mary McGuire (@mcguirereports) March 9, 2017
On Wednesday, the 42-year-old man entered the building around noon for a prearranged meeting with a student, police said. The two are believed to have engaged in sexual acts in a school bathroom before other students reported the suspicious behavior to administrations.
The man was chased down and apprehended by school officials, and Brooklyn Park police arrested him shortly after.
On Thursday, police identified the man as David Manito, of New Hope, adding that he remained in jail as of Thursday afternoon. Formal charges are expected Friday.
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Officials with the Anoka-Hennepin School District say the student and Manito both lied to school personnel about the purpose of the 42-year-old's visit. It remains unclear if the student, who was at least 18, will face disciplinary action.
Parent Rachel Gasper says the incident made her daughter and some classmates nervous about returning to school.
"Seeing the face kind of makes it more real," Rachel said. "They were feeling a little bit unsafe, so, and I just reassured them that the school district wants them protected and, you know, definitely they're on heightened alert."
Gasper's daughter, Cecily, says she was shocked by the news.
"It's kind of disturbing to know that someone came in," Cecily said.
All police have said so far about Manito is that he's from New Hope. Searches for his name online pulled up no criminal history or potential ties to schools in the area.
"I just think that a lot of it has to do with the accessibility on the internet and, you know, social media and you can be anybody you want to be and, you know, kind of trick people," Rachel said.
Brooklyn Park police scheduled a news conference for 1 p.m. Friday at the city hall.
The incident remains under investigation by both the school and police.
