University of Wisconsin sophomore Audrey Ruth Seiler, who mysteriously disappeared four days ago, was found alive Wednesday after being spotted by an employee taking a break on top of the Department of Revenue building. The man who allegedly abducted her at knifepoint is still at large.

The female employee spotted a woman behind the Alliant Energy Center who appeared to need help around 12:50 p.m. Wednesday. The employee immediately contacted police, who quickly responded and confirmed the distressed woman was Seiler.

Seiler was rushed by ambulance to Saint Mary’s Hospital, where she was treated and released at about 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Dr. Philip Schultz, of Saint Mary’s Hospital, treated Seiler in the emergency room. He said when Seiler was admitted to the hospital she was very cold, especially in her extremities and was “not comfortable.” He said she was dehydrated and “had muscle aches from being confined.” However, he said she was in “good physical condition.”

“She is smiling a lot,” Schultz said.

Officer Shannon Blackamore confirmed Wednesday Seiler was abducted at knifepoint and there was implication of a gun; however, it was never seen. Police confirmed Seiler did not know her abductor. Blackamore said Seiler received no injuries and was not sexually assaulted in the four days she was missing.

According to acting police chief Noble Wray, the man suspected of abducting Seiler was still at large as of Wednesday night. Wray said police continued to search for the suspect in Olin Park, which encompasses large marshy areas behind the Sheraton Hotel, the area where Seiler was found. However, at press time police had abandoned active containment of the perimeter that was established earlier in the day.

The suspect in Seiler’s abduction is being described as a white male in his late 20s or early 30s, about 5-foot-11 or 6 feet tall, who was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, jeans and a black knit cap. The man is said to be armed with a knife and possibly a gun.

There have also been reports of a black Honda bearing a sticker from The Regent, the apartment in which Seiler resides, in the area where she was found.

Wray said due to the suspect’s at-large status, few details regarding the case are available. The department is attempting to identify all parties involved in order to find the suspect, Wray said.

Madison Police Capt. Luis Yudice said it is too early to release specifics of the case, and the main focus of the investigation is now capturing the suspect. He said police are “slowly and methodically” searching the scene.

Seiler’s family and friends found out at about 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon that Audrey had been found alive, when a police officer came to where the family was staying and asked for Seiler’s mother, Stephanie Seiler.

“The police officer said, ‘They found her!’” Alison Olfert, a friend of Audrey’s, said. “Everyone started screaming and just went berserk,” she said, adding Seiler’s family was “ecstatic” to find out Audrey was alive and safe.

“We are so grateful that Audrey is back safe with us,” Keith Seiler, Audrey’s father, said at a press conference Wednesday. He attributed her safe recovery to the Madison Police Department, the media, friends, family and the university. He said Audrey is doing well and happy to be back. “She is thrilled to be home with her family and friends,” he said, adding his daughter was “surprised” at the amount of attention the case was receiving.

The search for the missing UW student began Saturday afternoon when Seiler failed to show up to friend’s house when she was expected.

A security camera recorded Seiler leaving her apartment building, The Regent, alone around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. The door to Seiler’s apartment was left open and her cell phone and purse were both left in her room. There was also a book on her bed leading police to believe she had been studying. Yudice said Tuesday it was strange no one saw her after this since she exited onto a busy street where many students were out and about, because the bars had just closed.

Because of an attack on Seiler Feb. 1, there was “heightened concern” about her whereabouts, and friends and family felt “a sense of urgency” to find her.

Seiler was attacked Feb. 1 while walking home from a party on the 10 block of South Randall Street at about 12:45 a.m. Olfert said she walked Seiler about a block and then went back to the party because Seiler said she would be fine walking home alone. Olfert said Seiler told her that about a minute after the two separated, she was grabbed by the arm and struck in the head from behind, leaving her unconscious. She later regained consciousness behind a building on Bowen Court and called a friend who was still at the party, who came out and took her to a local hospital. Seiler reported nothing was stolen from her purse, and she received no other injuries beyond the head injury, which left her with a black eye. Olfert said it was hard to say if the attack and abduction were related.

Seiler’s uncle, Scott Seiler, said after the Feb. 1 incident Audrey was concerned but felt she was ready to move forward. Her uncle described her as “determined” and “practical” and said she was more careful to walk with friends after the attack. He said the incident was concluded to be completely random. Police would not release any details about Seiler’s interview with police after the first attack.

Police and family denied any possibility of a stalker and said there was no information leading police to believe anyone was following Seiler.

“I don’t know of anyone who was stalking her,” Olfert said.

Police interviewed many known local sex offenders over the past four days who were “people of interest” regarding Seiler’s disappearance. However, since there are “several hundred” sex offenders throughout the city, they did not interview them all, Yudice said Tuesday.

Monday, the FBI was called to assist with the investigation. Yudice said they were called to “offer a different perspective” and “see things we may have missed.” Police said they used airplanes, boats and dog teams, as well as people, to search isolated areas of Madison, such as parks; however, they had not searched the area where Seiler was eventually found.

Yudice said that although Madison is a highly and densely populated city, it is among the safest in the nation. The particular neighborhood where Seiler resided is not considered to be unsafe by any means, he said. As of Tuesday, police had not determined any suspects and said it was still possible Seiler left of her own free will. According to Yudice, most missing persons are usually located within 48 hours, making Seiler’s case even more unusual.

Throughout the search for Seiler, family and friends remained confident she would be found safe. More than 100 family members and friends traveled to Madison from Seiler’s hometown of Rockford, Minn., to post flyers and search for the missing student. Olfert and friend Josh Janos were among six or seven of Seiler’s close friends who were searching day and night for their friend.

Janos, a freshman at UW, said he had been missing class all week to search for his friend. He said he knew everyone had to remain confident that Seiler was all right, if not for personal reasons, for the family.

Olfert, who lived in The Regent with Seiler and has known her since they went to high school together in Rockford, said friends and family had a “good feeling” about finding Seiler. She said one of her friends even had a dream Seiler was found.

“We had to stay strong for Audrey, and she had to stay strong for us,” Seiler’s mother, Stephanie Seiler said Wednesday, adding she did not know if their daughter had seen or heard any of their pleas for her safe return on television.

“We are just all so happy she is okay,” Janos said, adding that his friend and Seiler’s boyfriend of three years, UW freshman Ryan Fisher, is “so happy right now.”

UW provost Peter Spear also spoke at the press conference Wednesday, expressing the university’s relief in finding Seiler.

“On behalf of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we are relieved and thrilled that Audrey is safe,” Spear said.