`19-year-old Saniyya Dennis,a Buffalo State College sophomore studying engineering, has now been missing for more than a week. Police say she was last seen leaving her dorm on Buffalo State's campus around 11:00 p.m. Saturday.
Julia Stevens, with Allies for Black Justice, has been organizing search parties in Niagara Falls for the past three days. Searches have focused on Goat Island, where police say Saniyya's phone last pinged at 1:23 a.m. Sunday morning.
"Immediately as they relayed it to us, we organized around it. Had we gotten that information the day she went missing, had the students had that information, we might have had better luck at this point," Stevens said.
Police say there has not been any cell phone, electronic or financial activity since Saturday when Saniyya was last seen. Saniyya's family said not hearing from her is extremely unusual.
"This is not like her. This is not of her nature. My mother says she's a creature of habit," Saniyya's sister said Friday.
At a press conference Friday, Saniyya's family expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation.
"There is a lot we are dissatisfied with behind these cameras. We're not trying to bring anybody shame. All we want is to have her," Saniyya's uncle said.
Buffalo State Police then revealed they had new information: NFTA has video of Saniyya. They did not release any further details.
When asked for an interview Sunday, Buffalo State Police deferred to astatement released Saturday.
Police urge anyone with information about Saniyya's whereabouts call 716-878-6333 or email police at police@buffalostate.edu. You can also call the New York State Missing Person's Clearing House at 800-346-3543.
