News, UCM News

Attempted kidnapping falsely reported

There was a false report made Tuesday to public safety that two males attempted to kidnap a female in the Ellis parking lot before 5:30 p.m.

In an email sent by Captain Bill Brinkley, the report claimed that the two males attempted to force the female into their car. She had described them to be black males, one ­– 5 foot, 10 inches tall, 140 pounds and wearing a black hooded jacket with baggy pants and the other to be a black male wearing a black shirt. She reported that the vehicle was a dark four-door car with dark tinted windows. She reported that she pulled away and ran to safety. An email was sent to all UCM students and faculty and through TextCaster at 9:42 p.m.

Brinkley sent out a follow-up email at 3:13 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, stating this to be a false report, after Detective Schmidt had questioned the female about the incident. She admitted to him that the report was false and the incident never occurred.

“We took the report and did a lot of follow up, a lot of investigation. We talked with the individuals and then eventually, we talked with the individual who was reported as the victim and they acknowledged that it did not actually occur at all,” said Scott Rhoad, director of public safety.

Rhoad said they are not going to pursue any charges against her for filing the false report.

“There was no maliciousness or anything like that on her part,” he said. “Every individual has a reason for what they do or don’t do. We each have reasons for doing or acting the way that we do.”

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