WENATCHEE — Kevin Edwards isn’t used to attention.

The self-described introvert likes being out of the limelight.

But on Wednesday, news crews from KOMO and Fox TV were calling to interview him. “It’s overwhelming,” said the 34-year-old security officer at Wenatchee Valley College.

He figures he was just doing his job late Saturday morning when he helped an 11-year-old Wenatchee girl escape from a man who approached her on the college campus. Wenatchee police say they suspect the man was trying to kidnap the girl.

Edwards was making his rounds about 11 a.m. when he saw a man walking one way near the college fountain and a girl walking another direction.

“At first, he just looked like a random guy out for a walk,” Edwards said in an interview on Wednesday. But when he saw the man change directions and start following the girl, he took notice.

“He shook her hand, then put his arm around her shoulders and that’s when she began yelling,” Edwards said. “I heard her yell, ‘No’ ”

He estimated he was 15 yards away from the two when he began running at them. “As I ran up, he let her go,” Edwards said. “She was in tears.”

Edwards asked to see the man’s identification, and told him to remain with him until police arrived. Edwards wonders why the man didn’t run away.

“It puzzles me,” Edwards said. “He just stood there.”

Police arrested John A. Graff, 43, of Leavenworth, on suspicion of attempted first-degree kidnapping. Chelan County prosecutors have until 5 p.m. today to file charges.

Wenatchee police said Monday that Graff asked the girl to get into his truck.

As Edwards was waiting for police, the girl ran off. Edwards later learned that she went home. Her father showed up before police arrived and thanked Edwards for his efforts.

Edwards, who has been a security officer at the college for about three years, said he has no thoughts about using all the attention to move on from a job that he likes. And, after the news interviews are all done, he said, “I plan to calm down and go back to my every day boring life.”

Dee Riggs: 664-7147

deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com