Kimberly Sue, a 35-year-old from Endicott, New York, has been identified as the American tourist who went missing along with her Ugandan guide Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo after four gunmen took them hostage on Tuesday, April 2.
What Happened To Kimberly Sue?
According to reports from Ugandan officials, Endecott and her tour guide Remezo, who were in the middle of a “game drive”, were traveling between the Katoke gate and Wilderness Camp at Queen Elizabeth National Park when kidnappers ambushed the group at gunpoint.
Queen Elizabeth National Park — filled with exotic safari animals such as lions, monkeys, elephants, and hippos — is known for being Uganda’s most popular tourist destination.
In addition to Endecott and Remezo, two other tourists — Martin and Barbel Julius and his wife — were rescued after they contacted the camp manager.
After the kidnapping, the suspects used one of the victims’ mobile phones to make a demand for a $500,000 ransom payment.
Following the report of Sue’s kidnapping, there were conflicting reports about her identity.
While Ugandan police originally stated that the missing woman’s name was “Kimbley Sue Endecott”, the Uganda tourist board spokesman clarified the woman’s actual identity is “Kimberly Sue”, who is from Endicott, New York.
According to NBC News Senior Reporter Alexander Smith on Twitter, Sue’s kidnapping has yet to be confirmed by United States government officials.
In a statement, Ugandan police said that are “hopeful” they will be able to safely rescue the hostages. Additionally, authorities said in their statement that they “strongly believe” the ransom money “is the reason behind the kidnap.”
“We strongly believe the perpetrators and victims could still be trapped within our search area. We are hopeful that our efforts will lead to their successful recovery,” police said.
At the time of this writing, there is no timetable for Sue’s release.
This article will be updated when United States government officials comment on Sue’s kidnapping.
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