Investigation into Beaufort Walmart kidnapping rumor over. Here's what police found

The Beaufort Police Department finished an investigation Thursday into a reported potential kidnapping scare at Walmart on Saturday, and righted rumors on Facebook Thursday night.

Rumors began to surface on social media early in the week, claiming there was an attempted abduction situation at the Robert Smalls Parkway Walmart over the weekend.

On Wednesday, a Walmart spokesperson said the store was not aware of any situation like that at the store, but that their employees would fully cooperate with the investigation.

Investigators reported on Thursday that "no South Carolina laws were broken and that the incident appears to be the result of a misunderstanding," according to the department's Facebook post around 8 p.m. on Thursday.

An account of the incident, which was frequently referenced in the spreading social media posts, was sent out to Parris Island personnel and their families after the incident in an internal email, Parris Island communications officials confirmed on Wednesday.

That email "contained erroneous information about what was reported to police and what transpired, including the date of the incident," according to police on Thursday.

Here's what Beaufort police say was reported:

"The complainant said that a male subject made her feel uncomfortable based on the fact he appeared to be staring at her while he was talking into his cell phone. The woman purchased items and, while doing so, asked the cashier to escort her to her vehicle. Once outside, the woman noticed what she described as two Hispanic men walking up behind her, at which time she got into her vehicle and left. At no time did the complainant report that any of the men tried to approach her children."

And this is what police said they found out during the investigation:

"At no time in the video footage of the incident did any party make any overt, threatening move toward the complainant, a fact corroborated by the cashier who was present. The cashier also stated that he did not report a “code Adam” or “code Amber” via radio to other Walmart employees. In-store cameras revealed that the male subject who was talking on his cell phone appeared to be loitering in the store along with a young girl, as he waited for an adult female companion to finish shopping. The footage from the parking lot revealed that the two men that walked near the complainant in the parking lot were walking toward their vehicle that was parked nearby."

At the end of the post, police encouraged anyone who thinks they have witnessed a crime or fallen victim to a crime should call 911 to report it.

This story was originally published March 22, 2018 at 8:44 PM with the headline "Investigation into Beaufort Walmart kidnapping rumor over. Here's what police found."