Police investigate encounter with man in Siloam Springs

The Siloam Springs Police Department said Tuesday it has no evidence of sex crimes occurring in a park over the weekend as suspected by a park visitor.

Police opened an investigation after a woman posted on Facebook a description of her encounter with four men. Police said the interaction was at Bob Henry Park on Saturday around 5: 30 p. m. The post was shared on Facebook more than 6,000 times.

The author of the post wrote she was visiting the park with her children when a man walked up to her. The post said the man touched her dog and later used his cellphone to take video of her. Three other men were nearby in a pickup. The woman reported she was uncomfortable and left the park, the police said.

The woman tried contacting police after she left the park, but her phone died, police said. They talked to her Monday.

“After describing her interaction to other persons, the caller received multiple opinions and advice, which included posting the interaction on social media, and an opinion that this incident may be related to sex trafficking,” a police news release read. “Based on the information provided by the reporting party, the Police Department has no information which would support the theory.”

Deputy Chief Geoff Lewis said Tuesday that recording someone in public isn’t a crime but the encounter is under investigation. Police said they’d like to interview the four men involved.