PITTSBURGH — A possible kidnapping suspect is still wanted after SWAT officers raided an empty home in Beechview.
Channel 11's Michele Newell has learned that the suspect was never in the house. Instead, the owner told her she came home from work, saw all the damage and thought someone had broken in.
According to a witness, the alleged victim pointed police to the house and said she had been taken there against her will.
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The alleged victim said the kidnapper was an acquaintance of her family. She also said she became ill shortly after drinking a bottle of water he gave her and was taken to a hospital.
The suspect was believed to be armed inside the home of Shauna Scudder, who said she doesn't know any of the people involved or why they were at her house.
"I went inside, I looked, my entire house is tore up," Scudder said. "I thought somebody got killed, to be honest with you. My couch is overturned, everything is upended, all the windows are open."
Scudder told Channel 11 she didn't know SWAT officers were at her house looking for a possible kidnapping suspect.
She said she initially called police to report a break-in and said her neighbor had to tell her what actually happened.
Around 2:30 p.m., a woman told police the man had kidnapped her from South Park and brought her to Beechview Avenue.
SWAT searched the house, but police said they didn't find a man inside.
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"(Police) apologized sincerely for it, he was a very nice man. Told us our residence was not under threat," Scudder said. "There’s no value I get to reimburse for my 5-year-old kid coming home thinking that somebody was in my home."
Scudder told Channel 11 a plainclothes officer told her that a uniformed officer was supposed to stay at her home to explain what happened, but did not.
Channel 11 has asked Pittsburgh police for more information.