Boy safe after 'apparent abduction' turns out to be misunderstanding



TACOMA, Wash. - A boy who was the subject of an Amber Alert in Tacoma on Monday evening is safe, police said.

A video showed a man duct-taping a boy outside the school, then putting him in a car around 4 p.m. An Amber Alert was activated and a massive police response was called in.

Police later told Q13 News it was not an abduction at all -- the boy, believed to be about 10 years of age, was autistic and running into traffic, and the boy's grandfather was restraining him to take home to his mother.

The incident happened near DeLong Elementary School.

Police spokesperson Loretta Cool said a group of children said they saw the incident, recorded it and called police.

The Amber Alert was canceled shortly after it was issued.

On Monday night, Cool said the boy would be placed at least for the evening into Child Protective Services in Kitsap County, where he was located with a relative.

Cool said police were investigating to see if any crime was committed.