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Update: attempted "abduction" in Great Falls was an apparent misunderstanding

update mtn news
Halftime Sports Bar incident was not an attempted abduction
Posted at 2:08 PM, May 13, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-13 17:47:36-04

GREAT FALLS — What was initially reported by a woman as an attempted kidnapping in the parking of the Halftime Sports Bar in Great Falls several days ago was actually a misunderstanding.

The woman claimed in a Facebook post on Sunday, May 8, 2022, that she and two of her friends were almost abducted on Saturday, May 7. She said she and two friends left the bar, and as they were pulling out of the parking lot, a man ran in front of her car; the woman stopped the car, and another man ran up to the driver's side door and yanked on it, and another man ran up to the passenger's side.

She said she then "gassed it and almost hit the guy in the front," and then saw "10-12 of them behind us getting into vehicles." She continued driving to get away, and said they reported the incident to a police officer they saw in a patrol car downtown.

The woman noted in her post: "This incident does not reflect the service of the Halftime Sports Bar, this place has always been safe with amazing staff. It is unfortunate that this is where the incident happened."

KRTV confirmed on Tuesday that the women made a police report.

On Thursday, the GFPD told KRTV that "it is an assumption that it was an abduction attempt, but there is nothing to support that either way. The individuals in the parking lot had been in the bar as well, part of a group of males watching the UFC fights."

On Friday, the manager of the Halftime - Robyn Roberts - contacted KRTV to explain what happened.

Roberts said that three men inside the bar went outside and got into an "altercation." They went outside at about the same time as the three women.

Two of the men thought that the third man was in the women's car, so they approached the car but did not see him.

Surveillance video of the parking lot shows that the assistant manager then went outside to remind the men that they hadn't paid their tab yet; the men then went back inside the bar to pay.

The assistant manager said the men were cooperative and courteous.

No one - and no vehicles - followed the women once they left the parking lot.

Roberts said she and her staff take the safety of their customers very seriously, and guests should contact her or any employee immediately if they have concerns.


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