Victoria police have determined that a man who approached an 11-year-old boy walking home from school Oct. 13 and repeatedly offered him a ride home is, in fact, a family friend.
Officers received a report that a man had approached the boy in the 600-block of Head Street near the intersection of Head Street and Esquimalt Road at approximately 2:45 p.m.
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The man, driving a vehicle, pulled up beside the boy and told him to get in and accept a ride home. The boy turned around and walked away in the opposite direction. At this point, the man in the vehicle made a U-turn to follow the boy and again told him to get in the vehicle and accept a ride.
The boy made it safely back to the school and reported the incident to his family.
After media reports, the man involved came forward and police were able to determine that he was a family friend the boy simply had not recognized.
VicPD are commending the boy for doing the right thing in the situation, saying that anytime a child feels unsure or uncomfortable they should find a safe location and alert adults.
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UPDATE | The man involved in this incident has come forward. He is a family friend who the child did not recognize, & this is no longer considered suspicious. Thank you for sharing this information and helping us resolve this file. #yyj https://t.co/4GOquTVDms https://t.co/DO1bZQR41L
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) October 14, 2020
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