Emotions spike among Chinese students in US after tragic kidnapping

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The Chinese community in the US, especially in the University of Illinois, is shocked by the disappearance of 26-year-old Zhang Yingying. With more than 56,000 Chinese students at the University and 300,000 in the US, students and parents alike are worried about campus safety.

Safety in the US has been a hot topic on social media after the FBI identified Zhang’s alleged kidnapper and suspected killer, 28-year-old Brendt Christensen.

Online comments were dominated by frustration and heartbreak. Chinese graduate Zhao Yi from the University of Illinois said people give up the idea of studying in the US after these tragic incidents that “happened to Chinese students, specifically in the US.”

However, Zhao added this was “not representative of how America looks like in general.”

Meanwhile, some Chinese graduates are trying to raise donations in support of Zhang’s family.