U Of I Student Kidnapped, FBI Says
(CBS) – A University of Illinois student who disappeared a week ago on the school's downstate campus was kidnapped, the FBI says.
Federal authorities are posting alerts all over social media as U of I police ask people to be vigilant around campus.
Yingying Zhang, 26, disappeared the afternoon of June 9. She was last seen getting into a black hatchback at Clark and Goodwin in Urbana.
If you have information regarding #kidnapped UIUC student YingYing Zhang, please call Springfield #FBI 217-522-9675. https://t.co/1Drshmhvex pic.twitter.com/hdRCEHbg9X
— FBI Springfield (@FBISpringfield) June 16, 2017
Zhang is a visiting scholar from China who had been conducting scientific research at the university.
U of I police say they've investigated a separate report of a person in black car posing as an undercover police officer and trying to lure women. They cannot say if that is connected to her disappearance.
The Chinese consulate in Chicago and the U.S. embassy in China are also working on this case. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay the expenses of Zhang's family during the search here. Her father, aunt and boyfriend arrived in Chicago Saturday.
Updates can be found here.