Potawatomi Nation issues Kasey Alert for missing and murdered Native Americans

By Sharon Phillips

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SHAWNEE, Okla. (KJRH) — There are approximately 500 cases of missing or murdered Native Americans in the state of Oklahoma.

The Kasey Alert system went into effect on November 1, 2023 and is named after a man named Kasey Russell.

He was a 29-year-old citizen of the Cherokee Nation who disappeared in 2016.

The call is aimed at people between the ages of 18 and 59 who are missing or suspected of being kidnapped.

It will be sent to your phone similar to the Amber Alert or Silver Alert.

It contains information about the missing person and the circumstances of his or her disappearance.

The Citizen Potawatomi Nation works to raise awareness and visibility of widespread violence against Native peoples.

“It actually works very similarly to the Amber Alert system or the Silver Alert system that we have for minors or the elderly, but the really great thing about this system is that it’s designed for those who are missing, so people between the ages of 18 and 59. Because we have a large number of local people missing, we really hope it will have a big impact on finding these people and bringing them home safely,” said Kayla Woody.

She said the majority of indigenous people do not live on reserves, but 71% of them live in urban areas.

Because there was no specific warning they could set up in the past, the vast majority of the public was unaware of it.

If you know someone who falls into the 18-59 age group, you must file a police report with your local law enforcement agency to issue a Kasey Alert.

Kasey Alert is another tool that addresses the urgent need for improved coordination and rapid response in the event of a person going missing.

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