(MOBILE, Ala.) Citronelle Police said Friday they are closer to an arrest in an attempted kidnapping case at an elementary school.
Police said Thursday morning an unidentified white male walked on to the campus of McDavid-Jones Elementary School, pretended to be a school official and tried to kidnap three students.
The three students ran away, while the suspect drove off in an older model, green-colored Jeep.
Citronelle Police Chief Shane Stringer said other schools in the area have been notified of the incident, and extra patrols were placed at McDavid-Jones Elementary on Friday.
Stringer said several tips have come in about a possible suspect following media reports Thursday night, and they have been following those leads all day Friday.
"We do have some suspects we're looking at, and we're attempting to locate and interview them now," Stringer said.
Stringer said three children involved in the incident were interviewed again today, and, as a result, police were able to narrow down a list of possible suspects.
"We do have one sex offender on the list that matches the description, and we're attempting to locate him at this time," Stringer said.
However, according to the Mobile County School Board, there may not have even been an attempted kidnapping.
"Our resource officer was called, police were called and they're both doing their own investigations," School Board Spokesperson Nancy Pierce said. "I heard two versions. One version from the principal, and then I heard a version from the police. That's why it's still being investigated."
Though the Mobile County School Board wouldn't reveal details of the school's investigation, Chief Stringer said it's a scenario they've been looking at as well.
"There was a male parent on the campus during that time," Stringer said. "From what the students are telling us occurred, and what the school is saying that occurred with him is not matching up."
"We're hoping and praying that one of the leads that are coming in will lead to an arrest."
Mobile County School Board officials said parents whose children attend McDavid-Jones Elementary were not notified about the incident until Friday.
Spokesperson Nancy Pierce said that is because the principal of the school felt that she did not have enough factual information to warrant a call home to parents.
