Joint statement from University of Missouri Police Department and Columbia Police Department on recent social media rumors

There have been a number of unsubstantiated rumors on social media about stalking and human trafficking in the City of Columbia. 

Neither the University of Missouri Police Department nor the Columbia Police Department have received any recent reports of human trafficking activity or attempts in the Columbia area.

We are aware of a single report that was made to Columbia police involving two students who felt they were being followed in their vehicles off campus on two different occasions on separate days by a white truck. Police have investigated both cases. One case was found to be a misunderstanding. In the second case, there was no description of a driver and the student was not approached.

Also, social media posts involving a possible break-in to a downtown apartment complex could not be corroborated by police and were reported by apartment security personnel to be false. 

We encourage students to be vigilant and aware of their surroundings. If anyone feels threatened, they should move to a safe location and notify police. Finally, we encourage everyone to be careful when sharing information on social media. We all share a responsibility not to spread rumors and unverified information through our social networks.

Please visit official sources for verified information, including the official social media accounts for the city and MU. For official campus information or to sign up for alerts during an emergency, visit mualert.missouri.edu. For city information, visit www.como.gov/police/.