Exchange student rescued in Utah after bizarre “cyber” kidnapping – National & International News – TUE 2Jan2024

Exchange student rescued in Utah after bizarre “cyber” kidnapping.

Police: Deadly New Year’s Eve crash in NY not an act of terrorism.

NATIONAL NEWS

Exchange student rescued in Utah after bizarre “cyber” kidnapping

Rescuers found a Chinese exchange student alive but freezing in Utah after he fell victim to what police described as a “cyber” kidnapping scam.

Kai Zhuang, 17, was found alone in a tent in the wilderness. He had trekked to the spot alone at the direction of the kidnappers, who had no physical contact with him. Meanwhile, Kai’s parents in China were tricked into paying $80,000 for his safe “release”. Cases of cyber kidnapping are on the rise in the US and elsewhere, and Chinese exchange students are often targeted. The kidnappers will contact both the victim and their family, telling each party that the other will be harmed if they do not comply with their instructions.

Kai’s first attempt to comply with his kidnappers was on 20 December. Police spotted Kai alone on a rural road carrying camping equipment and safely returned him to his US host family.

Then on 28 December, the school Kai is attending contacted police again. Kai’s parents in China had called the school saying that they had received a ransom demand and a photo of Kai suggesting that he had been kidnapped. Investigators quickly realized that it was unlikely Kai would come to harm from another person. However, he was in danger of freezing in Utah’s harsh winter weather.

Police eventually found Kai in his tent, which had blankets but no heat source. He had several cell phones with him which police believe were used to carry out the kidnapping. Victims of cyber kidnapping are usually remotely monitored by the kidnappers using video messaging apps like Facetime and Skype.

Kai’s first request upon rescue was “a warm cheeseburger”, and then he was able to call his parents.

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Police say deadly New Year’s Eve crash in NY not an act of terrorism

Around 1am on Jan. 1, a Ford Expedition crashed into a Mitsubishi Outlander outside the Kodak Center concert venue in Rochester, NY. A concert by the band moe. had just ended and the sidewalk was crowded. The crash forced both vehicles onto the sidewalk, seriously injuring several pedestrians, but none fatally. Two occupants of the Outlander were killed in the crash. The Expedition driver was critically injured and later died in hospital.

The Expedition caught fire following the crash, which took firefighters an hour to extinguish. Police found a dozen gas cannisters in and around the Expedition, which initially raised suspicions of an act of terrorism.

Police sources told ABCNews that the Expedition driver, now identified as 35-year-old Michael Avery, was from Syracuse, NY, which is over an hour and a half away from Rochester. After coming to Rochester and getting a hotel room, Avery drove his own vehicle to Syracuse airport and there rented the extra large SUV. He then drove back to Rochester and obtained the gas cannisters locally.

Today, Rochester Police Chief David M. Smith said that while the crash was clearly intentional, there is no evidence yet that it was an act of terrorism. Police found no manifesto and no suicide note- nothing to indicate that Avery’s actions were motivated by any “political or social biases”. Conversations with Avery’s family suggested that Avery “may have been suffering from possible undiagnosed mental health issues,” Chief Smith said.

Police currently believe Avery acted alone. The investigation is ongoing and police are still probing Avery’s devices and social media.  Investigators are urging anyone who can shed light on Avery’s motivations to come forward.

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