Police Hamud Faal
Hamud Faal was a missing University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student who was later found dead in the Mississippi River.
According to the La Crosse, Wisconsin, Police Department, in a statement posted to Facebook, the Police Department “has learned Hamud was last seen on Sunday morning, February 20th, 2022 at 3:37am walking alone southbound on Front Street just North of Jay Street.”
Searches have commenced, but there was no sign of Faal until March 2022. That’s when ice thawed on the river, and authorities used sonar to find Faal’s body, which was “was recovered in about 25 feet of water near the Division Street landing on the river,” NPR reported.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. La Crosse Police Are Seeking Video & Tips
The Police Department’s release said:
If you live or work in this area and are aware of video/camera systems, please check to see if Hamud may have been captured on your video system. We are also asking community members in this area to check your garages, storage areas and properties for Hamud. Hamud’s family, UWL Student Life and the La Crosse Police Department, continue to partner in the search for Hamud.
We continue to work with Hamud’s family and friends and ask anyone with information to please call police non-emergency at 608-782-7575. You can also report Hamud’s whereabouts anonymously at La Crosse Area Crime Stoppers at 608-784-TIPS or submit online at https://www.p3tips.com/459 . You can also download the Crime Stoppers App “P3” to submit a tip via your phone.
2. Faal Was Last Seen Wearing a Light Blue Crew Neck Sweater & Grey Jeans
In an initial release, La Crosse police said that Faal is a missing person and gave a description of him.
That release said:
The La Crosse Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing person: Hamud Faal (DOB: 12/02/1996), 25 yrs of age, was reported to police as a missing person on 2/21/2022. Hamud is an African American male, 6’02”, 175lbs, black hair and brown eyes. Hamud was last seen wearing a light blue crew neck sweater, grey jeans, with black and white Vans tennis shoes. Police, Hamud’s family, and friends, have made several attempts to locate him with no success.
If you have information as to Hamud’s whereabouts or if you see him please call police non-emergency at 608-782-7575. You can also report Hamud’s whereabouts anonymously at La Crosse Area Crime Stoppers at 608-784-TIPS or submit online at https://www.p3tips.com/459 . You can also download the Crime Stoppers App “P3” to submit a tip via your phone.
Faal’s Facebook page says he has lived in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, but is from New Jersey.
3. There Is a GoFundMe Page to Help Find Faal, Who Is a Senior Majoring in Psychology
A GoFundMe page set up to help find Faal has raised more than $18,000.
The fundraising page says:
Hello, this fundraiser is to set up a reward for anyone with information about our son Hamud Faal. We have not seen or spoken to him since Friday February 18th 2022. He was declared missing February 21st by the La Crosse Police Department. Hamud is an African American man who is 6 feet, 2 inches tall, weighs about 175 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. Hamud was last seen wearing a light blue crew-neck sweater, gray jeans and black-and-white Vans shoes. Hamud Faal was a senior at University of Wisconsin La Crosse with a major in psychology.
This gofundme page is created for funding of a monetary gift that will be used as a reward for tips leading to finding Hamud and cost associated with searching for him. Any remaining funds will be donated.
Also, we would like to thank the hundreds of people who helped us search for Hamud Faal including law enforcement, UW-L and the people of La Crosse, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The outpouring support has been overwhelming and provided our family with the courage and strength needed to continue in our anguish and distraught to find Hamud.
Wisconsin State Representative Samba Baldeh is involved in the fundraising efforts.
4. A Family Member Said Their Hearts Are Broken
A family member, Fatou Ceesay, declared, “our hearts are broken.” In a Facebook post, she wrote,
Yesterday, our community went to La Crosse to search for our boy Hamud Faal who is missing. We were joined by UWL students and their community but we didn’t find him. Our hearts are broken and our search continues. Please continue to pray for his safe return. We are pleading to anyone with information to about Hamud to please call the police. We desperately need our son, our brother and the son our community home safely. Please help us find our Hamud.
Also, we want to thank everyone who is helping in this efforts in whatever way they know how.
5. Faal Became Separated From His Roommates, Reports Say
PoliceHamud Faal
According to Wisconsin Public Radio, Jerreh Kujabi, Faal’s step-father, who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, said that Faal became separated from his roommates in downtown La Crosse.
Around 2:30 a.m., Faal told his roommates that he wanted to go home but when they got home at 4 a.m., Faal was not there.
“They called his phone and his phone was off; he wasn’t answering,” Kujabi said to WPR. “He never turned up in the morning, afternoon. And then later that evening, around 5 or 6 o’clock on Sunday, they reported him missing to the police.”
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