Coon Rapids Police: Gavin Tessman Found Safe, Reunited With Family
UPDATE: Gavin Tessman was found safe and reunited with his family, the Coon Rapids Police Department announced early Friday morning.
The 13-year-old was found in Minneapolis by Metro Transit.
Authorities had been looking for Tessman since he disappeared Thursday while on his way to school.
No other information about the teen's disappearance has been released.
Police say that there is no foul play suspected in the case, and there is no threat to the public.
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Investigators are searching for a 13-year-old boy who disappeared "under suspicious circumstances" Thursday while on his way to school.
Gavin Tessman was spotted walking Thursday morning on 105th Avenue Northwest near Uplander Street Northwest in Coon Rapids. Investigators say he never arrived at his bus stop two blocks away at Quinn Street Northwest -- but his laptop was found there.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says someone spotted Tessman at Riverview Park shortly after he left for the bus. The park is not far from where Tessman lives with his aunt, Rachel Ahmann. But the park is massive, which is making the search even more difficult.
"He had breakfast and he was talking to Parker, and I get a hug from him every morning when I leave," Ahmann said.
She says she would have hugged her nephew tighter Thursday morning if she knew he wouldn't make it home from school. Ahmann says she's surprised he didn't make it to his bus.
"He gave me that and was just like, 'Bye, I love you,'" she said. "He was just his normal self."
Police say a classmate found Tessman's laptop at the bus stop. Someone else may have spotted him at the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, according to Police Capt. John Stahnke.
"A citizen reported to one of our officers that they had seen a party matching Gavin's description around 8 a.m. walking on one of the park trails in the wooded area, and he was last seen kinda walking into a real heavily-wooded area away from the trail. There's a lot of trails, a lot of back areas, and a lot of really heavily-wooded sections," Stahnke said. "All we know is that this was out of context for him. That's why, you know, we're so alarmed and we just want to bring him home safe to his family."
The search grew from there. K-9s, the Minnesota State Patrol's infrared helicopter and Coon Rapids Fire Department rescue boats searched for hours on end, but with no leads.
"I just want everybody to keep praying for him that he will come home safely," Ahmann said. "I just need him to come home. Wherever he is, whatever happened, I just need him to come home."
Police told WCCO earlier Thursday that they're prepared to continue the search through the night. More K-9 units arrived after dark to start the search. Police also floated the possibility that the state patrol's infrared helicopter will work better at night when less people are in the park.
Tessman was last seen wearing a dark-blue hoodie, green sweat pants and black high-top sneakers. He may be carrying a black-and-red backpack.
Anyone who sees him is asked to call the Coon Rapids Police Department or 911.
