Statewide Purple Alert issued for missing Sharon Springs man Dakota Langdell, 24
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Purple Alert late Friday for a missing Sharon Springs man at the request of the Wallace County Sheriff's Office.
Dakota Lane Langdell, 24, was last seen at 228 North Kennedy in Sharon Springs, according to the KBI. He may be traveling south toward Stratford, Texas.
The KBI describes Langdell as a white man about 5 feet 6 inches tall and about 180 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray shirt, blue jeans and possibly a hat. The KBI said Langdell has autism and may need help returning home safely.
Anyone who sees Langdell should call 911 immediately, the KBI said. Anyone with other information about where he is should call the Wallace County Sheriff's Office at 785-852-4288.
What is a Purple Alert?
The Kansas Purple Alert Plan was created by state law in 2024 to give public notice when an adult with an intellectual or developmental disability goes missing. The plan is run by the Kansas attorney general's office with the KBI, the Kansas Highway Patrol and local law enforcement.
Under the law, K.S.A. 75-754a, an alert may be issued for a person who is 18 or older, has been diagnosed with an intellectual disability, whose whereabouts are unknown, who is believed to be in imminent danger of serious injury or death because of the disability and who is believed to be unable to return to safety without help. The goal is to get the public, news media and law enforcement searching quickly enough to prevent serious harm.
Kansas uses separate alert programs for other cases: Amber Alerts for abducted children and Silver Alerts for missing people 65 or older or people with dementia.
