Hundreds of people in Kodiak search for 7-year-old missing since Saturday

The search for a missing 7-year-old Kodiak boy continued Monday after he disappeared from his home Saturday, authorities say.

As many as 950 people turned out Sunday to look for Sawyer Cipolla, Alaska State Troopers said. The search continued Monday with more than 400 participants including ground searchers, multiple dog teams, and people using aircraft, thermal drones, and boats.

Police in Kodiak on Saturday issued an alert about an hour after Cipolla disappeared just before noon. It said he was “last seen wearing blue/red sweater” and was carrying a toy wooden sword.

The boy, who is autistic, does not respond to his name but does respond to howling and the phrases “come on in” and “brigadier,” according to a missing persons poster being circulated. It says if someone says “Marco,” he may answer “Polo.”

By the end of the day Saturday, about 100 people had joined in the search, Kodiak police said. On Sunday, the search expanded significantly to include dog teams.

More than a dozen agencies are participating in the search including Kodiak Police Department, City of Kodiak Fire Department, Bayside Volunteer Fire Department, Kodiak Island Search and Rescue, Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Wildlife Troopers, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy Seals, Alaska Air National Guard Rescue Coordination Center, and K9 search and rescue teams from Anchorage and Mat-Su, troopers say.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Cipolla is asked to contact the Alaska State Troopers in Kodiak at 907-486-4121.