The mysterious “woman in black” is a U.S. Army veteran, ABC News reports.

The woman, identified by her brother as 56-year-old Elizabeth Poles, arrived in Winchester, Virginia, this week after journeying through several states, including Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia.

USA Today reports that Poles was greeted by approximately 50 people in Winchester who wanted to catch a glimpse of the woman as she made her way into town.

According to the Winchester Police Department, authorities were called out to help with crowd control.

“Please respect the privacy of the ‘Woman in Black,” Winchester Police said in a statement. “For her safety and the safety of others, officers took her to an undisclosed location and provided her with food and shelter.”

Poles’ brother told ABC News that his sister moved to Alabama to live with him after the loss of her husband and their father within a year of each other.

“For the first few months, she was doing great,” Poles commented. “She was going to churches on Sundays and to her appointments at the nearby VA hospitals.”

“Then one Sunday, when my wife and I picked her up, she shaved her head. She was asking me, ‘Where can I buy those long black robes?’”

According to ABC News, her appearance inspired the creation of a Facebook page, called “Where is the Mysterious Woman in Black?,” that now has more than 50,000 fans.

Photo credit: @WinchesterPD