Gerrard Kaonga
The family of American comedian and activist 50-year-old Tou Ger Xiong have confirmed that he has died.
Xiong was kidnapped and is believed to have been murdered when he was on holiday in Medellin, Colombia, according to reports.
His family said that he went to visit the country on November 29 and had plans to spend the time with family over there. He also ended up making plans to go on a date with a woman he met on social media.
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It was during this date that Xiong was ambushed by a group of men and subsequently kidnapped.
His family and a friend of Xiong were contacted by the kidnappers following the incident and demanded $2,000 (8 million Colombian Pesos) in cash for his release.
Unfortunately, the family would learn that Xiong was killed after his body was discovered in the La Corcovado ravine. He was found with multiple injuries, including multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma, according to local media reports.
Local law enforcement also confirmed that the suspects involved in the kidnapping had killed Xiong before a deal for his release could be made. Police have opened an investigation to determine whether an escape attempt by Xiong resulted in him being killed by his captors.
Xiong’s brother Eh Xiong has spoken about how devastating the news has been but also commented on some progress made by law enforcement in identifying suspects.
He said one of the suspected captors has already been apprehended by law enforcement.
“They found some clothes, blood, you know, on the bag, and they were able to confiscate that and apprehend one of the suspects,” he told KSTP.
Speaking of the murder of his brother, he condemned the ‘heinous crime’ and released a statement.
He said: “It is with immense sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the discovery of the body of our beloved family member Tou Ger Xiong was a cherished member of our family, and the pain of his loss is indescribable.”
Xiong was named a Bush Fellow for his social justice work in 2019 and news of his murder has resulted in multiple statements from those touched by his work over the years.
"This is a heartbreaking tragedy," Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar said in a statement.
“Tou Ger was an incredible person who was constantly working to uplift his community. My office is in contact with Tou Ger's family and the embassy in Columbia as they work to bring his body back to Minnesota. My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones during this difficult time.