TAMPA, Fla. – Raahul Goel has been located and is safe, according to the Tampa Police Department.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Local authorities have issued a statewide Purple Alert following the disappearance of a young man in Tampa late Friday morning. The Tampa Police Department is currently asking for the public’s help to locate 23-year-old Raahul Goel, who was last seen walking away from a residence located in the 1900 block of Orient Road.
According to investigators, Goel was spotted around 11:00 a.m. on February 20, heading eastbound near the railroad tracks just north of where he was staying. Police have expressed specific concern for his well-being, noting that he recently made statements regarding self-harm.
Officers are currently scouring the area in hopes of connecting him with necessary mental health resources.
Goel is described as being 5’8” tall with a medium to slim build. When he was last seen, he was wearing a dark blue or black tank top paired with dark blue basketball shorts. Notably, he was also seen with a red shirt wrapped around his head.
The Purple Alert, a tool used by Florida law enforcement, is specifically designed to help find missing adults who may be living with mental, cognitive, or developmental disabilities that are not related to dementia. This alert is triggered when a person’s disappearance is believed to pose a credible threat to their immediate safety.
Police are urging anyone who might have seen Goel or who has information regarding his current location to contact the Tampa Police Department immediately at 813-231-6130. Callers are asked to reference case number 26-102670 to ensure the information reaches the active search teams as quickly as possible.
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