The "suspicious person"

who spooked a student at a bus stop in the Lakeside at Redwine subdivision

in Fayetteville recently turns out to have a legitimate reason for being

in the neighborhood, according to police.

The man, who came forward to

police Monday morning, is friends with a family who lives in the subdivision

and was actually picking up a student to take her to school that day,

said Lt. Beverly Trainor of the Fayetteville Police Department.

Detectives checked out the

man's story and were able to clear him of any wrongdoing, Trainor

said.

"He said, 'I didn't

mean anything by it,'" Trainor said. "It was just a case

of mistaken identity."

The man came forward Monday

morning after reports that students at a Halloween party in Lakeside late

Friday night reported spotting a man similar to the sketch published by

police who also drove a red car such as the suspicious person drove.

The man pulled up to a group

of students outside the home and asked if they went to Fayette County

High School, according to a witness.

Several students notified parents

at the home, who were able to follow the vehicle and get a tag number

to provide to police, Trainor said.

Trainor said the parents and

the students did the right thing in gaining enough information for police

to continue the investigation.

Police are still unable to

explain the first sighting of a similarly-described suspicious person

at another bus stop in Fayetteville three months ago.

"We still don't know

about that one," Trainor said, adding that the man who approached

police Monday was also cleared of that incident.

Police are still encouraging

residents to keep watch on their children, particularly at bus stops.

"People are being more

aware and helping keep an eye out and that's a good thing,"

Trainor added. "We want to protect our children."