Cops Search for Man Seen Putting Arm Around Missing UVA Student
Police are searching for a man who was seen putting his arm around Hannah Graham—the missing University of Virginia student—on the night of her disappearance. Surveillance footage released this morning shows a different man who appears to be following her as she walks around Charlottesville. That man has come forward to police.
In the video below, near the top left of the screen, a man appears to be looking over his shoulder, then stepping into a doorway, at about 32 seconds. At around 40 seconds, a woman who police believe is Graham appears on the right side of the screen, and when she passes the man, he steps out and begins walking after her. The footage was taken at 1:06 a.m. from a camera outside Sal's Pizza, at 221 E. Main St.
A second video, taken at 1:08 from inside Tuel's Jewlers at 319 E. Main St., shows Graham walking with the same man following behind her. This one is a little harder to make out, but Graham can be seen walking toward the left side of the frame beginning at around six seconds and ending at around 11 seconds.
The man told Charlottesville police he followed Graham to make sure she safely got where she was going, and that he saw another man who appeared to know her put is arm around her in an apparent effort to help. The police department's statement, via the Daily Mail, follows:
At 10:15 pm the unidentified white male in the videos came to the police department.
He told police that he was following Ms. Graham as she looked to be somewhat physically distressed and he wanted to make sure she got safely to wherever she was going.
Soon after he was following her, he said that a black male came up to her and put his arm around her, stopping her.
Ms. Graham and this black male started speaking and it appeared to the witness that the black male was either known to Ms. Graham or was trying to help her.
The witness then walked away and he said that Ms. Graham and the black male were still standing and talking when he left.
The black male is not shown in either of these videos.
In a statement issued through the police department, Graham's parents said they fear foul play and encouraged community members to come forward with more tips.