America’s universities are in crisis after four people were killed in three campus incidents in just 10 days in Kentucky, Georgia and Colorado.
Most recently, Campbellsville University student Charles Escalera, 21, was charged with murder and robbery in connection with the February 24 death of Josiah Kilman, 18, in Columbia Falls, Montana. was charged with a crime. Both students were on the school’s wrestling team.
“There are no words strong enough to heal the broken hearts of this family at this time. We are all truly shocked by the sudden and unexpected loss of Josiah, and as they grapple with this devastating tragedy… We are asking for your prayers for many, many prayers,” reads the description of Killman’s GoFundMe page, titled “Josiah Kilman’s Family in Need of Love and Support.”
The Taylor County Coroner’s Office said preliminary autopsy results show Kilman died of manual strangulation and asphyxiation, but it remains unclear how the 18-year-old was killed.
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Campbellsville University student Charles Escalera, 21, was charged with murder and robbery in connection with the Feb. 24 death of Josiah Kilman, 18, of Columbia Falls, Montana. . Both students were on the school’s wrestling team. (Greene County Sheriff/Facebook)
On February 22, two days before Killman’s alleged murder, Laken Riley, a 22-year-old Augusta University nursing student, was jogging along a dirt trail on the campus of the University of Georgia in Athens. Murdered.
On February 23, UGA authorities arrested José Antonio Ibarra, 26, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, on suspicion of murder. Ybarra is charged with malicious murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping and obstruction. 911 calls and concealing someone else’s death.
Laken Riley’s murder suspect lived within a 5-minute walk of the Uga crime scene.
University of Georgia murder suspect Jose Ybarra lived within a five-minute walk of the scene where he allegedly killed 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley on February 22nd. (Mark Sims for Fox News Digital/Laken Riley/Jose Ibarra)
UGA Police Chief Clark said at a press conference Friday night announcing Ybarra’s arrest that Riley died of blunt force trauma.
Ibarra and his brother Diego Ibarra, who was charged with green card fraud, lived in an apartment complex within a five-minute walk of the suspected crime scene. After presenting a fake green card to the school, Diego was hired as a temporary dishwasher at one of UGA’s cafeterias. He has since been fired.
Laken Riley murder suspect’s brother fired from Uga city after presenting fake passport
The area where Laken Riley’s body was found near Herrick Lake on the University of Georgia campus in Athens on Saturday, February 24, 2024. The suspect, Jose Antonio Ibarra, was charged with murder. (Mark Sims, Fox News Digital)
Riley’s obituary states, “Ms. Laken’s yearning for compassion allowed her to transcend her goal of becoming a nurse and become an exceptional nanny to her two young children. Her smile was very contagious. It was highly contagious and spread to others wherever she went.” “She was dedicated to serving the Lord. She was always involved in her church, Woodstock City Church. Her love for spreading the word of God led her to countless We took her on mission trips, and her love for the Lord was embodied in every aspect of her life.”
“Layken was a wonderful daughter, sister, friend, and overall an exceptional person.”
About a week before Riley’s murder, two people were shot to death on February 16th at the University of Colorado’s Colorado Springs campus. UCCS students Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker, Colorado, and Celie Lane Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo. Colorado students were found dead in their dorm rooms on campus.
On February 19, Colorado Springs police arrested Nicholas Jordan, of Detroit, Michigan, in connection with the murders of Knopp and Montgomery.
UCCS previously told Fox News that Jordan was enrolled at the school at the time of the shooting. He is charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
Brothers suspected in Colorado dormitory murder break silence: “It’s not real.”
Knopp and Jordan lived in the same dorm suite as another man, who reported the shooting to police on Feb. 16. A third roommate told police that he and Knopf “had to report Nicholas Jordan due to the unsafe living conditions and smoking indoors.” ” according to the affidavit. In January, Knopp and Jordan allegedly got into an argument over a garbage bag.
Nicholas Jordan, 25, was arrested on suspicion of murdering two people in a dormitory at the University of Colorado. (Colorado Springs Police Department)
“Mr. Jordan threatened Mr. Knopp and told him he would ‘kill’ him. There would be consequences if Mr. Jordan was asked to take out the trash again,” the affidavit filed with El Paso County said.
Colorado prosecutors later announced that Jordan had an AK-47-style rifle and a handgun in his car when he was arrested on February 19th.
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The school, which has reported homicides in the past 10 days, noted steps it has taken to ensure the safety of students since three separate incidents occurred.
For example, in a statement Saturday after Ybarra’s swift arrest in connection with Riley’s murder, UGA President Jere Morehead said that just last week, the university was on campus “with He said he had approved the launch of several new initiatives.
Nursing student Laken Riley poses for a photo posted on Facebook. (Alison Phillips/Facebook)
The university will “hire more law enforcement officers, design and install an extensive surveillance camera network, enhance lighting, establish a nighttime rideshare program, and create the widely used UGA Safe app.” He said he has invested $16 million over eight years. Morehead plans to meet with campus police this week to gain insight into additional measures that may be taken to ensure student safety.
But parents, students and community members want more answers.
Laken Riley smiled and posed for photos as he ran. (Laken Riley/Instagram)
“Why aren’t police patrolling campus on foot, on horseback, or in trolleys? Why aren’t police patrolling the campus on foot, on horseback, or in trolleys? Is there no safe transportation or escort?” Marlene Clark wrote in an email to Morehead on Fox News Digital CC. “Why are so many of the streets so dark? This is a college town! Why are there so many empty lots and vacant buildings on or near campus? There was suspicious activity in my daughter’s parking lot. You have to walk past a dilapidated garage.”
“Those who knew Laken are suffering and fearful.”
Mr Clark added: “Those who knew Laken are suffering and scared. The parents of the children who had to go home today are also suffering and scared, as no motive has been determined. “I don’t trust this arrest. It seems like the most awaited outcome.” They were chosen to silence us. ”
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In a comment on a Facebook post shared by UCCS after Knopp and Mottgomery’s murders, Facebook user Matt Schwabe said the school’s “administration failed to protect these victims.” said.
“Their repeated pleas for assistance have been largely ignored,” he wrote. “You further let down the rest of the student body by allowing armed and dangerous individuals to assemble on campus knowing that they were still at large and unaccounted for. By the grace of God, the police The suspect was discovered several hours before his arrest. When he was arrested, he was found several miles away from the school with a fully loaded assault rifle and handgun. Disgraceful. ”
Fox News’ Chris Eberhart, Michael Ruiz, Bill Melugin and Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.
