Anchorage police said they cannot substantiate an Anchorage elementary school student's claims that someone tried to abduct him on his way to school Friday morning.
"We have no evidence," Anchorage police spokesman MJ Thim said Monday. "There's nothing to substantiate that there was an actual attempted child abduction."
Thim said a fifth-grade student from Ptarmigan Elementary School told investigators that he was walking alone to school on Friday morning when a man dressed in black clothing tried to grab him. The student said he was able to run away and get to school, according to Thim.
Thim said the student told investigators the man tried to abduct him on the 800 block of Edward Street, close to the school building.
He said officers started their investigation around 9 a.m. Friday.
The Anchorage School District sent out an email to parents Friday afternoon alerting them of "a reported attempt to abduct a fifth grade student who was walking to school," and school staff sent home safety tips with students.
Thim said police were classifying the Friday morning report as a "suspicious circumstances" case, not an attempted child abduction.
"After interviewing the student and going to the scene, police and detectives have no suspects and no leads in the investigation," Thim said. "We can't substantiate any of his claims after interviewing him multiple times."
Police sent out a Nixle alert on Monday describing the reported abduction as "unsubstantiated."
Thim said police are continuing to investigate an attempted child abduction that occurred Oct. 6 near the Costco on DeBarr Road. Police had made no arrests in the case, he said.
He asked anyone with information on the Oct. 6 attempted abduction to call police at 907-786-8900 and press "0" to speak with an operator. To make an anonymous report, call 907-561-STOP or go to anchoragecrimestoppers.com.