The death of a 21-year-old Black college student found hanging from a tree on the campus of Delta State University in Mississippi has sparked outrage after authorities said there was no initial evidence of a crime.
The campus police chief said there were no signs of foul play in the death of the student, whose body was discovered by a staff member early Monday near the campus pickleball courts in Cleveland, Miss.
Delta State Police Chief Michael Peeler said the body was identified as Demartravion “Trey” Reed and said there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to students and faculty. He told reporters Monday that the death investigation was being assisted by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation as well as local police and sheriff’s deputies.
Social media users began asking for justice for Reed and his family after authorities claimed that there was no initial evidence of a crime.U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson called for the FBI to investigate.
“It is always a tragedy when a life is cut short,” Thompson said in a statement. “We must leave no stone unturned in the search for answers. While the details of this case are still emerging, we cannot ignore Mississippi’s painful history of lynching and racial violence against African Americans.”
“The FBI has the tools and experience necessary to conduct a thorough, unbiased inquiry, and time is of the essence. I have also spoken directly with Trey’s family, and they, along with the community, deserve nothing less than a complete and transparent investigation.” The NAACP released a statement on Instagram, attached to a post with a picture that read, “A man was lynched yesterday.”
Outrage grows after body of Black student found hanging from tree in Mississippi
