Ryan White was last seen around 6:15 p.m. on Wilson Street near Moncrief Road, according to the Sheriff's Office. Deputies say his young age is the reason they are pressing the public for information and want to confirm he is safe.

Ryan is described as 4 feet, 10 inches tall and about 120 pounds, with brown eyes and black dreadlocks. He was wearing his school uniform at the time he went missing — a dark blue polo shirt and khaki pants.

Investigators note that Ryan is familiar with Jacksonville Transportation Authority buses and has run away before. That history does not lessen the urgency, authorities said, and they are asking anyone who spots him or knows where he might be to come forward immediately.

Residents in the Moncrief Road corridor and along JTA routes are being urged to keep an eye out for a boy matching Ryan's description. Anyone with information is asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500.

The search comes as families across the Northside continue to rely on neighbors and transit riders to watch out for one another, and deputies say a single phone call could make the difference in bringing Ryan home safely.