CPD releases video of woman being chased; hasn’t confirmed if it’s related to ‘prowler’ investigation

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department released a video on social media Thursday afternoon of a woman being chased.

CPD said in a tweet that it has not confirmed whether or not that video is related to its investigation of a suspected prowler who has been allegedly targeting women ages 20-30 in south Columbia.

"We are aware that this video has been circulating on social media," the department wrote in a tweet. "People are asking if it relates to the suspected prowler investigation. At this time, we cannot say, for sure, if it is related."

(1) We are aware that this video has been circulating on social media. People are asking if it relates to the suspected prowler investigation. At this time, we cannot say, for sure, if it is related. pic.twitter.com/PHd5oST57T

— ColumbiaPD (@ColumbiaPD) November 10, 2022

The video initially shows two Columbia police officers walking around a building around a timestamp marked at 10:47 p.m. The date of the video was not immediately available.

The video moves forward to 1:26 a.m., which shows a woman running around the corner of the building. Less than a minute later, the woman is running back towards the other direction while a larger person runs after her.

"The first two individuals shown on video are Columbia Police officers patrolling the area. Can you help us identify the other two individuals?" CPD said in a second tweet. "If we learn their identities, we can determine if their interaction is related to the investigation."

CPD said in a press release on Tuesday that it believed several incidents involving alleged attempted burglaries and a woman being chased by a man are related:

• Aug. 9: Burglary report at the 4300 block of Kentsfield Lane. The suspect entered an apartment of a woman while she was home. The man became frightened and left, according to CPD. The man allegedly tried to enter several apartments at that same complex of women who lived alone.
• Sept. 15: A similar report as made at an apartment complex at the 3300 block of Old Highway 63 South. All residents of that apartment were women.
• Nov. 2: A burglary was reported at the 3200 block of Old Highway 63 South, the same apartment complex as the Sept. 15 incident. All of the residents were women.
• Nov. 6: Someone attempted to break into an apartment at the 2200 block of Old Highway 63 South where, again, everyone inside were women.
• Nov. 6: A woman called 911 after she claimed a man chased her to her door in the 3900 block of Buttonwood Drive.

Online Columbia police dispatch records show there have been 11 calls to south Columbia apartment complexes about a suspicious person or car since Tuesday.