Calgary police provided an update on the search for Parker, an 11-year-old child who has been missing since Thursday, including new CCTV footage and a warning about fake AI-generated content circulating.
During a media availability on July 20, Acting Staff Sgt. Scott Guterson with the Calgary Police Service (CPS) said there are no major updates, aside from new video footage and public reminders.
Parker was last seen at his day home in the 0-100 block of Connaught Drive NW, near the communities of Thorncliffe and Cambrian Heights, and a multi-agency search has been underway across the city since then.
Parker is on the autism spectrum and is non-verbal, and police say that he may become scared if approached by strangers. If he’s seen, the public has been asked not to approach him, but to call 911 immediately while keeping him in sight.
Now five days since Parker was last seen, Guterson reiterated that there is no indication of foul play and that they are approaching the investigation with the understanding that he is alive.
“I’m not going to speculate on a number on what we think his survivability rate may be,” said Guterson.
“There are far too many factors which we don’t have any information about to give any sort of a reasonable number. We’re going to keep hoping that he’s alive, and we’re going to keep acting as if he is alive to bring him home as soon as humanly possible.”
New video footage released with more under review
The CPS released additional CCTV footage on Monday afternoon showing Parker walking near McKnight Boulevard and Centre Street NW just before 1 p.m. on Thursday. The video is now the second released by police, with the first showing him near Travis Crescent NE just less than 20 minutes earlier.
Guterson said that these are not the only videos obtained by police, but rather “the most important ones” from a public information perspective, given their high resolution and exact time and location stamps.
He said that to sift through the large number of submitted videos, CPS has begun using an AI program to speed up processing and viewing times. Guterson urged residents in the Thorncliffe area to submit any footage they have, especially from before Parker was last seen.
“What may seem insignificant at first may have a massive ramification on the investigation,” he said.
Supplementary search assistance has been offered by the RCMP, who joined CPS officers, their specialized units, and trained volunteers on Sunday. Guterson said that the roughly 500 searchers and 300 officers have covered a combined travel distance of 6,500 in the last four days.
Police remind the public of search etiquette amid misinformation
Since Parker first went missing, numerous citizen-led search initiatives have emerged, including the creation of the Facebook group Find Parker YYC and the development of an unofficial progress map.
Guterson thanked the public for its efforts, but advised that any resident wishing to help must not interfere with professional searches or trespass on private property. He said that community members should focus on searching their properties, especially in small spaces.
Parker, who has been noted as having a habit of locking doors behind him, stands at 4’11” and weighs approximately 90 pounds, which Guterson said means that residents should check their backyards, decks, and vehicles thoroughly.
“Don’t just check by opening the door — walk through the garage, check your sheds, move your lawnmower, move out anything else you might have obstructing the view,” he said.
“Anywhere that Parker could fit, we need the people to check and keep checking until we find him.”
With much of the communication surrounding Parker’s disappearance happening online, Guterson said that the CPS have become aware of fake, AI-generated videos that have started circulating, in addition to claims that he has been found deceased.
Guterson recommended that people exercise caution when interacting with social media content related to the investigation. He said that verified information will be released directly through the CPS’s accounts and that people should report any suspicious posts.
“The internet is a big, wild place, and we simply, as an organization, we don’t have the ability to stop bad information from going out there,” said Guterson.
“If it seems completely outlandish, too ridiculous to be true, there’s a pretty good chance it probably is.”
Anyone with information can call 911 or contact the police’s non-emergency line at (403) 266-1234.
