A Us Family Involved In A Failed Coup In Congo Claims Their Son Was On Vacation

From their suburban Salt Lake City home, the parents of a twenty-one-year-old Utah man who was one of three Americans detained following a disastrous attack on the presidential palace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo await word on their son’s whereabouts.

Early in April, Tyler Thompson, 21, and Marcel Malanga, his former high school football friend, left for what his family thought was an all-expenses-paid trip provided by Christian Malanga, Marcel’s father.

According to Congolese officials, Christian Malanga, who led a daring raid on the presidential palace in Kinshasa on May 19, was shot and died in a gunfight. Malanga declared himself the president of a shadow government in exile.

Thompson is shown in a video circulating on social media with his hands clutched tightly and a scared expression on his bloodied face, while he is surrounded by Congolese soldiers. The Congolese government has not stated whether Thompson was among those arrested or slain. Soldiers bind their hands behind their backs and compel Marcel Malanga and him to stand.

The Congolese army said that the bizarre coup leader was shot and killed for thwarting an arrest. Following the attempt and another on Vital Kamerhe, the president’s close supporter, six individuals were murdered and numerous others were arrested, according to Congolese army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Sylvain Ekenge.

Monica Shie, a spokesman for the US embassy in Congo, stated on Thursday that they were still awaiting access to the American detainees and were unsure of their court appearance date.