Nineteen days have passed since friends and family last saw Brian Shaffer. The medical student disappeared April 2 from the Ugly Tuna Saloona near campus.
There has been no activity on Shaffer’s cell phone, credit cards or in his apartment since his disappearance. Shaffer is considered a missing person and there is no indication of foul play involved in his disappearance, said Sgt. Rick Thompson of the Columbus Division of Police.
“At this point we’re still viewing video from around the campus area from different stores – businesses along High Street – to see if we can spot him. Other than that, we’re taking Crime Stoppers tips and working on those,” Thompson said.
Police also searched a landfill located near Grove City yesterday and have scanned Olentangy River near the location of Shaffer’s disappearance, said Betty Scuab, spokeswoman for the Columbus Division of Police.
“He is still considered a missing person, but at the same time we check other avenues,” Scuab said.
Those who know Shaffer are continuing their efforts to keep the public aware of his disappearance.
“We have buttons now that have his picture and the phone number that you call in case you know anything,” said Alexis Waggoner, Shaffer’s girlfriend.
A meeting will take place today at 5:00 p.m. in the Taco Bell parking lot near south campus, located at the corner of High Street and Ninth Avenue. Volunteers can pick up fliers , as well as maps of the off-campus community that will be provided at that time. Fliers will be put up for two to three hours.
Shaffer, 27, is 6-feet-2 inches tall and weighs about 160 pounds. He has a tattoo on his right arm of the Pearl Jam symbol. He is a second-year medical student at Ohio State.
“He definitely got his love of medicine from his mom – he wanted to make her proud,” said Randall Shaffer, Brian Shaffer’s father.
Shaffer also enjoys sports and excels at school, his father said.
Shaffer met Waggoner in a medical class.
“It’s really hard,” Waggoner said. “Not having someone that you do absolutely everything with everyday – there’s not really anything I can do to take my mind off of him.”
“There’s just a lot of love trying to help. I just want to find him, he’s such a special kid. I just hope that anybody can find him,” Randall Shaffer said.
Any information about Shaffer’s disappearance can be reported to Columbus Division of Police’s Special Victim’s Bureau at 614-645-4670. The reward for information about Shaffer’s disappearance has increased to $25,500. More information about the reward can be found at medicine.osu.edu/brianshaffer.
