ST BONIFACIUS, Minn. — The family of a 26-year-old Minnesota man who's been missing more than 10 days is demanding that the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office take over the investigation.
Family members of Keegan Oyugi have been asking for more resources to be devoted to his disappearance, and on Wednesday morning, they held a news conference outside the Minnetrista Police Department to demand action.
"We just want our brother," said Reagan Oyugi, Keegan's brother. "It's a terrible time for my family."
His mother said Keegan usually calls on her birthday, which was this past week. "I knew something was wrong when he didn't call," said Mirriam Oyugi.
Hours later, the Minnetrista Public Safety Department sent out a news release asking for the public's help finding Oyugi.
Oyugi's last contact with friends or family was Saturday, June 12 around 4 a.m. Police believe he was leaving the Prior Lake area to go home to St. Bonifacius.
Oyugi recently graduated from Crown College, where he played basketball.
"Ever since I first met him, I remember him being an energetic guy, someone I always looked up to, to this day," says friend and former teammate, Carter Carlson. "The community at Crown College, some of those coaches are so devastated, they’re beyond belief right now," says Stacy Ingraham, a professor at Crown College.
On Wednesday afternoon, Minnetrista police said the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the FBI are helping with the search.
"To date, we have investigated dozens of leads and conducted a number of interviews," the release said. "We have also searched a number of areas where we believe Keegan may have been."
Minnetrista authorities also said the Minnesota State Patrol has conducted an aerial search of several possible routes Oyugi may have taken. Police said several search warrants have been executed.
A Facebook group has been set up to help find Oyugi, and a GoFundMe is raising money for help from a private investigator.
The Minnesota Kenyan Association has been helping to lead civilian search efforts. Loved ones and community members have been calling for more help from police and the public.
"Whatever we need to do to get the resources here, we need to do it," Ian Oundo, President of the Uganda Association of Minnesota told KARE 11 on Monday. "There’s a lot of resources in this state and let's get some resources to Detective Wagner and make sure that our brother is given the same attention as any other child missing in this state.”
We reached out to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office, but they referred us back to Minnetrista P.D.
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