Social Media Helps To Find Missing Crystal Teen

The Crystal police department is crediting social media with helping to find a teen who went missing earlier this week.

On Wednesday, Crystal police posted a Facebook and Twitter message about 17-year-old Tyler Simonson, who has autism and was missing. He got off his school bus and walked away. Police put Tyler’s picture and information on their social media accounts and instantly thousands of people shared the posts.

Lieutenant Pete Underthun says they are leveraging social media these days to get timely information out to citizens.

“Within the first hour that led to a sighting of the child, near the area of 63rd and Boone Avenue. We sent an officer over there and verified by surveillance video that was our child and then another tip came up in Maple Grove that he was sighted and Maple Grove responded to that tip,” explained Underthun.

The Crystal Police Department is encouraging the public to follow their social media pages, as well as other police departments.

Crystal