The family of popular activist and Hmong American comedian Tou Ger Xiong is doing what they can from the United States to prosecute his killers.
Xiong died in December while visiting Colombia while meeting a girl he had met through an online dating platform. He was reported kidnapped and held for ransom before being found dead in the woods.
His family this week set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for an attorney in Colombia.
“I’ve retained a lawyer in Medellin to ensure those responsible are held accountable,” wrote his brother Eh Xiong.
He said none of the money will go to the family and that any extra money raised will be used to support the Tou Ger Xiong Endowment for the underprivileged. The brother says the family has committed $50,000 in seed money to the endowment.
“Tragically, his voice has been silenced, his life unjustly taken away. We’re reaching out to friends across the United States, urging you to join us in a collective effort to close the last chapter of Tou Ger’s life,” he said.
Four of five suspects in the case have so far been arrested by police in Medellin.
The comedian was an activist who used his prominence in the Hmong American community and comedy world to social justice and building bridges with other cultures.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc.
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