SOU Kidnapping Ruled as Hoax

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At approximately 3:12 pm Southern Oregon University alert service sent out voice calls and emails to all students and faculty in regards to an alleged kidnapping that took place outside of The Hawk. Within an hour, Ashland police told The Siskiyou thaIMG_3195t the alleged kidnapping was a hoax and shortly after, SOU alert confirmed this information.

While details were still unclear, Ashland Police Department allegedly came to Daniel Meyer fitness center and told front desk employee Amanda Lee that they were looking for two black males with facial hair in a red Honda Civic.

Allegedly, these two males had thrown a female in the trunk of the vehicle.

What started as a joke between a group of friends was reported to the Ashland police as a kidnapping near the Hawk.

Some students immediately expressed their concerns on social media sites like Twitter and Yik-Yak.  While others on campus felt threatened, “I was sitting in the booth… everyone was on their phones a little bit,” said one student who was in the Hawk when the alert went out, “It was an awkward vibe when everyone gets the same phone call from the school and we all are just on the phone in the same building.”

souhoax1Others said they didn’t feel too concerned with APD on the case.

The initiator of the prank who does not want their identity revealed, was questioned by Ashland police and advised to not to talk about it, but stated, “it was a joke and people blew it out of proportion.”

*Attempts made to get in contact the community and media outreach at Southern Oregon University were unsuccessful.