Cops: Search in Banksville Park called off as abduction reports prove false
Authorities called off a search in Pittsburgh’s Banksville neighborhood early Wednesday morning after determining that a witness’s report of a child abduction was incorrect, according to the city Department of Public Safety.
Police say a girl who was at Banksville Park with her family said she saw a man take a 6- or 7-year-old girl into the woods.
Dozens of officers from multiple law enforcement agencies started a search, including Pittsburgh Police, Allegheny County Police, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police.
A state police helicopter and two bloodhound teams assisted in the search.
Meanwhile some of the details in the witness’ story began to change. There were no reports of a missing child.
The witness misinterpreted what she saw, according to police.
The search began around 9:15 p.m., and ended just after midnight.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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