Surveillance video may help find Bothell assailant

BOTHELL, Wash. — AUGUST 25, 2016, UPDATE: The teacher's story was fake, police said. Cal Pygott admitted he fabricated the story in an interview with investigators. Follow this link to read the update on Pygott's Bothell teacher attack story.

ORIGINAL TEXT: Marlys Helgeland has lived across the street from Bothell High School for more than half a century -- and she's never seen a crime scene there until last Thursday.
 
  "I do know the man that was injured," Helgeland said.  "And I feel badly about that. But we've never had anything happen around us."
 
It made her husband, Dick Helgeland, a bit fearful.
 
"I was shocked, is probably a better word, that something so violent could have occurred," Dick said.
 
Dick, a retired Naval intelligence investigator, says he doesn't believe the attack on a wood shop teacher was random.
 
"I really feel that it has to be somebody that really knew him," Dick said. "That it wasn't a random thing, that somebody just walked in."
 
Whoever attacked 62-year-old Cal Pygott did so with tremendous force.

Pygott told investigators he was struck with a heavy object from behind and that he never saw his assailant. When he came to, a zip tie was cutting off his breathing.
 
Bothell police are canvassing the neighborhood and digging through looking several hours of surveillance video for clues. 
 
"We walked right through the school, my son and I, at four o'clock," said Clyde Johnson, another long-time neighbor. "And unfortunately (we) didn't hear anything."
 
The longtime neighbor says he walked by the shop building minutes before the attack. He also believes Pygott was likely targeted.

"It's shocking for sure," Johnson said. "And hopefully the teacher's OK and they catch whoever it was as soon as possible."
 
Bothell police say they wrapped up their investigation on school grounds at about 8 p.m. Friday.
 
There will be officers on hand when classes resume Monday morning to offer reassurance.
 
The students are encouraged to wear their finest Bothell Blue.

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