The gas station "kidnapping" that wasn't
Philadelphia police did an abrupt U-turn Sunday, announcing that they were mistaken about a widely reported incident they had labeled earlier in the day as a kidnapping.
Philadelphia police did an abrupt U-turn Sunday, announcing that they were mistaken about a widely reported incident they had labeled earlier in the day as a kidnapping.
In fact, the supposed kidnappers were family members trying to aid a woman at a gas station who was emotionally distressed, officials said after they had time to review the Saturday night incident more fully.
"The female was upset due to recent personal matters and she had fled from another vehicle while driving with a family member," the department said in correcting its mistake.
What had appeared to be a crime started about 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sunoco on 52d and Spruce Streets, police said. After the woman bought some items and exited the gas station, she was grabbed and dragged into a tan or gold-colored minivan that was parked at one of the pumps.
The car was an early 2000s model with tinted windows and side panels. It drove south on 52nd.
Police thought it was a kidnapping.
By mid-afternoon Sunday, Lt. John Walker held a news conference, and released video images from a surveillance camera. Captions identified two young men as suspect No. 1 and suspect No. 2.
"You can clearly see the struggle, and you can clearly see people watching," Walker told reporters. "One guy pumping gas watched the whole thing and did nothing," he said. "We know there are other witnesses who saw this and need to come forward."
Members of her family did - and, less then three hours later, the department issued a second news bulletin.
"The video that was released to the media depicts the female's family members grabbing her to take her home where she would receive the full support of her family," the statement said.
The department did not release the names of the woman or her family members. It did, however, offer thanks for "the quick response from our media affiliates" for releasing the information that, while false, solved the case.
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