WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — The U.S. Department of Justice launched the Ashanti Alert website today with the goal of providing information about the different kinds of alerts each state issues about missing or endangered adults across the country. The website also links to several other resources and other states' missing person programs.
The Ashanti Alert was named after 19-year-old Ashanti Billie, who was discovered deceased in North Carolina 11 days after she went missing from Norfolk in 2017. At age 19, she was too old to qualify for an AMBER Alert, but was also too young for a Silver Alert.
The Ashanti Alert, established in 2018, is issued nationwide when a person aged 18-64 is abducted.
"Having fought for the passage and nationwide implementation of the Ashanti Alert, I’m very proud to announce the launch of a public website that will help the public better understand how to report a missing person,” Warner said. “I’ve been proud to work closely with the Department of Justice on the launch of these resources as we continue to honor Ashanti’s legacy and save lives.”
In 2023, the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) reported that there were 546,097 missing individuals, and 34% were over 18 when reported missing.