A Prescott woman is at the center of a conflict involving Islamic State Militants known as ISIS.
Kayla Jean Mueller, 26, grew up in Prescott and she was being held hostage by ISIS in Syria. The group claims she was killed Friday during an airstrike in Syria by the Jordanian military.
The report by ISIS has not been confirmed and some major United States media outlets believe the report is simply a public relations move by the Islamic State.
Mueller was kidnapped in August 2013. At the time, she was working at a hospital with Spanish Doctors without Borders.
Tracey McConnell worked with Mueller at the Yavapai County Community Foundation.
“She’s a community leader. She doesn’t do it for acclaim. She does it because she sees powerful needs in the community. She becomes an advocate and she makes things happen," McConnell said.
When Mueller was in high school, and later at Northern Arizona University, she volunteered with Save Darfur and its student group, STAND-NAU. Erik Leaver is with the organization in Washington DC.
"She not only was the chapter leader at Northern Arizona University, she became the regional director for STAND and she was part of leadership tea. She was extremely involved, very articulate and deeply passionate," Leaver said.
There is no confirmation that Mueller was killed in Friday’s airstrike in Syria. American officials say they’re looking into the report.