RCMP are praising a “very observant” parent who intervened after a man in a bunny mask attempted to abduct a child at an elementary school in Chilliwack.
The incident happened around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13 where a man went onto Central Elementary School property and tried to remove a seven-year-old girl.
School was in session at the time and a parent was dropping their child off when they noticed the man in the purple bunny mask.
“The parent essentially said that the situation didn’t look quite right,” said Supt. Darren Pankratz, officer in charge of the Chilliwack RCMP during a press conference on Friday, May 15.
That parent intervened and brought the girl back to school. Police said, to their knowledge, the parent did not know the child.
RCMP were notified of what happened around 9:09 a.m. and thanks to quick actions by police and by members of the community, officers found the suspect nearby.
Joel McGillis has been charged with kidnapping a person under 16 years of age.
Pankratz would not comment on exactly where McGillis was apprehended nor whether he was wearing the mask when they found him.
He said McGillis was found “within a close vicinity of the school.”
The purple bunny mask that McGillis was wearing matches that of a character named Jax the Bunny from an animated web series called The Amazing Digital Circus, which is geared towards teens and adults.
McGillis, born in 1976, is a prolific offender and is known to police. He was scheduled to appear in Abbotsford Law Courts on May 15.
Pankratz said that the public was aware of what was happening and police are “grateful for that quick response.”
“It was due to swift actions from aware community members that really assisted in this coming to a very quick and safe conclusion,” he said.
The child was not injured.
While this type of incident is “exceptionally rare” Pankratz reminded parents to continue to have conversations with their children about safety protocols, being aware of their surroundings, and what to do if a child doesn’t feel comfortable.
“If a child doesn’t feel comfortable in their surroundings, how do they find a safe place and a safe adult they can talk to?”
Police are also asking any witnesses to come forward. This includes people who may have been in the area between Central Elementary School and the 46000 block of Margaret Avenue, between 8:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13.
“If anyone observed an individual wearing a purple bunny-like mask, please contact the Chilliwack RCMP as you might have information that could assist the investigation.
“Chilliwack RCMP is taking this incident extremely seriously. The safety of children in our community is a key priority, and we recognize how concerning this type of event is for families,” Pankratz said. “We are working closely with the school district as this investigation continues, and we thank the members of the public who assisted in ensuring the child’s safety and helping police quickly locate and arrest the suspect.”
The RCMP file number is 2026-19631. The non-emergency line for the Chilliwack detachment is 604-792-4611.