GREEN RIVER — A Green River man reported missing has been located according to the Green River Police Department.
An Ashanti Alert for 80-year-old Paul Kinkaid was issued by the GRPD at 1:33 a.m. Tuesday. He was located within a few hours of the alert nearly 200 miles from his home. A press release from the City of Green River notes there were concerns about the alert and clarified the alert was issued shortly after Kinkaid was reported missing. The GRPD claims Kinkaid had not been in contact with friends or family for several days prior to him being reported missing.
“This is exactly why the Ashanti Alert System exists, to protect our most vulnerable community members,” GRPD Chief Shaun Sturlaugson said in a press release. “The quick response and collaboration between agencies ensured a safe outcome, and we are thankful for the support of the public in these critical situations.”
The Ashanti Alert is a national missing persons alert program named for Ashanti Markaila Billie, a 19-year-old woman who had disappeared and was later found dead in 2017. Due to the distance between her abduction and the location of her body, as well as her age, her situation fell outside the scope of other missing persons alert programs.
According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, an Ashanti Alert can only be issued is the person is 18 or older and falls outside the scope of an AMBER Alert, involved in a situation that law enforcement confirms involves either abduction or immediate danger of serious injury or death, and there is sufficient information about the person to believe an immediate broadcast will help in recovering them. Kinkaid reportedly suffers from dementia, one of the criteria covered in the alert.
Once the criteria is met, a law enforcement agency contacts the WHP Communications Center for confirmation, with the center completing an Ashanti Alert request that is approved by the WHP’s AMBER/Ashanti Alert coordinator.
The GRPD also says residents can opt out of receiving the alerts or customize how they receive them through their phone. For iPhone users, they can open the Settings App and tap on notifications, then scroll to the bottom of the page and customize options under the Government Alerts section. For Android users, they can open the Settings App, navigate to Safety and Emergency, then to Wireless Emergency Alerts, where the user can find options to activate or deactivate different alert types.
