Police say alleged abduction attempt a ‘misunderstanding’

Greenwood Police Chief Bernie Bock says a reported attempted abduction of a juvenile female in the city on the afternoon of Sept. 8 turned out to be a “misunderstanding” and the case has been investigated and cleared.

Police were notified on Sept. 8 about 4:25 p.m., that a subject in a maroon SUV with dark-tinted windows had “exited the vehicle and chased the female,” according to a press release issued later that day. Greenwood city police and Clark County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the scene near the Kow Kickin’ Kafe at the north edge of the city to investigate.

Upon canvassing an area within two blocks of the scene, Bock said police located a witness who had seen the maroon vehicle and knew to whom it belonged. Police then contacted that subject and spoke with them. The subject told police they had left the vehicle and rushed into a business to make a purchase, and then left the scene.

Officers determined the subject had not been pursuing the girl, and she became frightened and misread the situation.

“Simply, it was a misunderstanding,” Bock said. “I can assure you, this person is not a suspect. If we felt there was any wrongdoing here, we would be looking at it closely.”

Bock said the girl went to a friend’s house after the incident and police were called from there. He said she did the proper thing in reporting what she believed to be an abduction attempt.

“Kudos to her for being aware of her surroundings that something doesn’t seem right,” he said. “I’d rather people err on the side of caution.”

Bock said word of the alleged abduction attempt spread rapidly that evening on social media sites. Multiple officers were in the city that night as the canvassing work was done and the subject in the vehicle was located and interviewed.

If nothing else, Bock said the case helped create more awareness that crimes can happen in places like Greenwood.

“It was a learning experience,” he said. “We need to continually be aware of our surroundings and vigilant and watching out for each other. We all like to think we’re immune in a small town, but we’re not. It’s made people more aware.”