$20,000 reward in deadly assault of UW-Stout student from Saudi Arabia
MENOMONIE, Wis. (KMSP) - The City of Menomonie and the University of Wisconsin-Stout announced a reward fund for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the fatal injuries to Hussain Saeed Alnahdi.
As of 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the reward was at $20,000.
“It is absolutely essential that we use all of our resources to find the person responsible for Hussain’s death,” Chancellor Bob Meyer said at a press conference on Wednesday. “Many people are looking for ways to help the police find the assailant, and we hope this fund will generate the information needed to lead to an arrest and conviction.”
“The city also has been contacted by many people who want to help,” Menomonie Police Chief Eric Atkinson said. “This fund could be just the right incentive for someone to come forward with the information we need to solve this case.”
The city of Menomonie has been shaken up since the Sunday morning attack. Longtime resident, Judy Foust says she doesn’t feel safe.
“A feeling as a Menomonie person that we are not safe, nobody is safe anymore because of how our country has been taken over by hate.” Foust said.
Alnahdi was a 24-year-old junior from Saudi Arabia studying business administration, police say there is no direct evidence his attack is a hate crime, but they’re not ruling it out.
“I think right at this time you have to keep an open mind and keep that door open that that is a possibility. But right now as I mentioned we do not know the motivation of this crime.” Menomonie Police Chief, Eric Atkinson said.
With little information the University has worked with the Community Foundation of Dunn County to offer a $15,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. The Committee on American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, is offering a separate reward of $5,000.
Alnahdi was one of 142 students from Saudi Arabia attending UW-Stout. The attack has scared his friends, including Omar Alkohmos.
“Imagine all of families calling us from across seas and saying, ‘You are allowed to go from your house to your class and from your class to your house, and lock your door.” Alkohmos said.
How to donate:
Donors can make checks to the Community Foundation of Dunn County/Reward Fund and mail or drop them off to: 500 Main St., Suite 322, Menomonie, WI 54734.
Donations also may be made through the Foundation’s secure online donation processing system at www.cfdunncounty.org/reward or at https://venmo.com/cfdcreward. All gifts will be placed into the reward fund.
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