Tou Ger Xiong (Bush Foundation photo)
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The family of a Twin Cities artist and activist says he was kidnapped and killed in Colombia.
In a statement, the brother of Tou Ger Xiong, 50, called the loss indescribable.
A local newspaper reports Xiong was taken while out on a date, and the kidnappers demanded a ransom. His body was found Monday.
According to the Bush Foundation, Xiong was a Hmong American storyteller who shared his “personal stories across the country to build cultural competency and address racial discrimination.”
Xiong was named a Bush Fellow in 2019 for his social justice work.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy,” Sen. 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.”
Xiong was born in Laos in 1973, he wrote on his website. He and his family fled to the United States when he was a young boy and landed in St. Paul, where he graduated valedictorian from Humboldt High School. He went on to receive a degree from Carleton College.
Xiong’s family says they’ll create a foundation in his name to make sure his legacy lives on.
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