An American tourist has been kidnapped by gunmen in Uganda, according to local officials.
The 35-year-old woman, identified by police and the national tourist board as Kimberly Sue, and her local driver, Jean Paul, were abducted by gunmen while on a safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park on Tuesday night.
The four kidnappers used one of the victims’ cellphones to call authorities and demand $500,000 in ransom. Police said they “strongly believe this ransom is the reason behind the kidnap,” according to reports.
“We are aware of reports of a U.S. citizen kidnapped in Uganda,” a State Department representative told the Washington Examiner. “Security forces are responding to the incident. We have no further information to offer at this time.”
Other people in the vehicle escaped unharmed and later contacted law enforcement.
“We strongly believe the perpetrators and victims could still be trapped within our search area,” police said. “We are hopeful that our efforts will lead to their successful recovery.”
Queen Elizabeth National Park is the country’s most popular tourist destination.
