According to the BBC, a string of unexplained fatalities involving American males in Medellin have been connected to dating apps, putting relatives in a desperate search for explanations.
The terrifying events that left at least eight Americans dead in November and December have caused worry and prompted the US embassy to issue a warning about the dangers of using dating apps in the city.
Tou Ger Xiong, a 50-year-old Hmong-American comedian and community leader from Minnesota, was one among the fatalities. After he had an internet conversation with a woman while in Medellin, his terrible destiny became apparent. Surprisingly, Tou Ger was demanded a ransom and was eventually found dead in a secluded, forested region of the city after being abducted and held at gunpoint.
Tou Ger’s brother, Eh Xiong, related the painful moment he learned of his brother’s demise. A woman and two men connected to the kidnapping and murder were taken into custody by Colombian authorities as a result of the incident.
A potential threat from a gang that uses dating apps to isolate victims before kidnapping and killing them was brought up in a warning released by the US embassy. At least 12 Americans were among the unsettling 40% rise in violent foreigner homicides in Medellin during the first ten months of 2023.
Concerns about victims being “drugged, robbed, and even killed by their Colombian dates” were voiced by the embassy. Scopolamine, also referred to as “Devil’s Breath,” was mentioned as a frequently used sedative for victims.
The previous head of the city’s tourism observatory, Carlos Calle, emphasized the unfavorable characteristics of visitors who are singled out for criminal activity, which is frequently connected to chances involving sex work. Although prostitution is permitted in Colombia, there is no proof that the victims engaged in this kind of behavior.
The US embassy advised its residents to take precautions in response to the increasing violence. These included not going on dates in private settings, telling others about the arrangements, and not resisting robbers because doing so may be lethal.
Mayor Federico Gutierrez said he wanted more foreign visitors to Medellin, but cautioned against people who were just looking for drugs and sex. This comes as the city struggles with an increase in violent murders.
He gave police orders to deal with underlying problems in prominent tourist neighborhoods like El Poblado, such as the sex trafficking of kids.
The city, which had over 1.4 million foreign visitors in 2022—of which over 25% were Americans—faces challenges as a result of the rise in violent deaths.
The city anticipates even greater numbers in 2023, in part because distant workers find Medellin to be appealing. The terrible events in the bustling Colombian city serve as a sobering reminder of the risks that can lie beneath the attractiveness of online dating.
