The Ithaca Police Department reports that they were notified by Ithaca High School officials that a 16-year-old student had left campus – and that he could be a danger to himself.
A search began around 12:30 p.m. and a broadcast was put out to all Tompkins County law enforcement agencies.
Around 2:15 p.m. Tompkins County 911 received a call from an alert citizen reporting a person matching the student’s description was behind a residence in the 900 block of Stewart Avenue.
Officers from IPD were already in that area – checking the Fall Creek Gorge. Additional officers from the Cayuga Heights Police Department and Cornell Police Department responded and helped with the search.
Officers say they located the missing student near the cliff edge on the north side of Fall Creek Gorge. They say the student was safely taken into custody without further incident.
Deputy Chief Vincent Monticello thanked the community for their effort in assisting the search.
“On behalf of the Ithaca Police Department, I would like to thank school officials who notified us and the alert citizen who reported seeing the missing student,” he said in a statement. “I am equally proud of the professionalism and compassion the officers displayed in helping this young person in crisis. The student, whose name will not be released was reunited with his family and is currently being evaluated by mental health professionals.”
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