Police release sketch of suspect in beating of Seattle teacher

Police have released a sketch of a man suspected of beating a Seattle elementary school teacher and are asking for help identifying his attacker.

Joseph Skillings, an award-winning teacher at Adams Elementary School in Ballard, called police the night of January 13 when he saw a man harassing a woman at a bus stop. Officers said the man saw Skillings call police and punched him from behind, sending him to the pavement with nothing to break his fall.

	Sketch of suspect

Skillings, 52, was in satisfactory condition Thursday at Harborview Medical Center.

The suspect, described as in his late 40s with a slim build and a wrinkled face, was last seen wearing a black knit ski cap and a black thigh-length coat with a white stripe down the length a sleeve. Police also say he was carrying a large black backpack and may have been wearing gold rings and bracelets.

Skillings suffered a seizure and was bleeding from the back of his head, according to a police report. His sister, Jane Skillings Thompson, said her brother is responding to commands but will likely need speech therapy.

"We want to catch this guy, but we want (Joseph) to be back to his normal self," his sister said. "Physically he's able to walk with some weakness on one side, but he's not able to converse because when he tries to put a sentence together he can't find the right words."

Skillings' mother was trying Thursday to get her son, a Navy veteran, into the Seattle veteran's hospital, which Harborview staff told them has a renowned head trauma center.

His students have sent cards and more than 5,400 people have visited a Web site created to share Skillings' story. Fellow teachers have also volunteered their sick time if he needs money.

"People in other countries have heard about this and it's pretty amazing," Thompson said. "People in Seattle have been so supportive and it takes my breath away to know how many people love and respect him."

SEND A MESSAGE TO SKILLINGS

A Web site has been made to share his story: caringbridge.org/visit/josephskillings