Rumours were circulating on the Diamond Valley Communities' Forum about a suspicious male earlier this week.
The post, citing an unnamed neighbour who in turn heard from a girl living on their street, depicted the girl being approached by a man with a mohawk in a black GMC Suburban, and that another person had seen the man near the Turner Valley School.
In an Oct. 6 phone call, RCMP Sgt. Josh Atkinson confirmed there have been no reports to Turner Valley RCMP detachment of any such incident, only one inquiry stemming from the Facebook post.
“We have received only third-hand information from a complainant referencing Facebook,” Atkinson said. “So we have a file, but it’s not a first party or anyone with direct knowledge of any situation.
“No direct reports on anything related to this, only third-hand information referencing what they had read online.”
While cases of attempted luring are not unheard of, he said, such as recent incidents in Strathmore and Cochrane, he reiterated there have been no reports regarding a man with a mohawk in a black SUV engaging in suspicious activity in Turner Valley.
Turner Valley School principal Debbie Payne, having seen the post, also contacted the RCMP right away and confirmed the school has received no firsthand reports.
“From the time I saw the Facebook post, called the RCMP post until now, there has not been one report from any parent or anyone to me about any safety concerns,” Payne said in an Oct. 6 phone call.
“I would like to think this is a pretty tight-knit community, so when we say they are our children, they truly are our children, so if there were a valid threat, there’s not a doubt in my mind that someone would report that to the office.
“Then I can do what I need to do to make sure safety is our number one priority for our kids.”
In March 2021, accounts of dramatic abduction attempts were posted to Okotoks area Facebook groups, with similar posts being made across the country.
The posts followed a similar formula, albeit with the location switched out, typically citing a third-hand source such as an unnamed friend or group, outlining a dramatic abduction attempt in a shopping centre parking lot by men driving a black SUV.
Following calls for police action, Okotoks RCMP and Calgary Police confirmed there were no reports indicating such incidents had actually happened.
If someone is in immediate danger or they see someone in immediate danger, they are encouraged to call 911. Otherwise, the Turner Valley non-emergency dispatch can be reached at 403-933-4262 and the Okotoks RCMP non-emergency dispatch can be reached at 403-938-4202. Calgary Police non-emergency dispatch can be reached at 403-266-1234.
Anyone who is the victim of human trafficking or believes they know someone who may be the victim of human trafficking can find resources from the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking at canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca.
