RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have investigated reports of an attempted abduction.
Riley County Police reported they were aware of a post on Facebook being shared about an attempted abduction at the Walmart in Manhattan.
RCPD was never notified of the incident but was sent the Facebook post by several concerned citizens. The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to the post by Walmart.
They investigated the claims and found the reports to be unsubstantiated.
Police reported, “we understand the fear that can be caused by reports of unknown people trying to snatch children.
We wanted to let the public know that the claims were unfounded. If you ever do experience a situation like what was described, please call law enforcement immediately. Child abduction is not a joking matter and should be reported directly to police and deputies.
Also, remember that in our social media driven world, that sharing stories on social media that are not verified can cause undue hardship for the people labeled as suspects who may have done nothing wrong.”