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For 10 days, most of the University of Portland campus—and no small portion of the wider city—have been looking for a missing student named Owen Klinger.
Today, the Portland Police Bureau released evidence implying that Klinger left campus intending to hop a train.
Portland police have reviewed video recordings collected from businesses and residences near Klinger's last known whereabouts and conducted interviews with his friends and family. According to a statement released by the bureau, Klinger told friends he was going to a lacrosse team meeting the night of his disappearance. No meeting was scheduled, however.
Klinger was last seen on October 6 around 8 pm leaving the University of Portland campus in North Portland. He withdrew money from an ATM on campus before turning off his cell phone and heading toward North Lombard Street on foot, according to evidence obtained by police.
According to a statement released by PPB, investigators believe that Klinger “had been watching videos about hopping freight trains” and had recently watched the film Into the Wild which depicts a young man going off the grid in Alaska.
"The direction he was walking was an area where freight trains are commonly staged," the bureau said in a statement. "We will continue to work with the family and will follow up on any additional leads."
Two searches organized by Klinger's friends and family have been scheduled for this evening to help find him. The searches will begin at 4 pm at Portland Tennis Center and Cathedral Park.
Klinger's story will also be getting national attention tonight with a segment on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt airing at 5:30 PM.
If anyone has any information regarding Klinger and his whereabouts, PPB asks they contact Lori Fonken, the lead detective on the case, or Sergeant Joe Santos, the supervisor in charge of the investigation.
Update, 9:43 pm: Klinger's family tells The Oregonian they are not convinced by the police theory of the case.