The murder of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, allegedly at the hands of an illegal immigrant, highlights “the dangers women runners face,” according to the Associated Press.
Last week, Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old illegal immigrant from Venezuela, was arrested and charged with the kidnapping and murder of Laken Riley. On February 22nd, the Augusta University student went for a morning jog and never returned.
Police in Athens, Georgia, soon discovered Riley’s disfigured body in a wooded area on the University of Georgia campus. Antonio Ibarra was arrested the next day.
An Associated Press report suggested that Riley’s killing highlighted “the fear of being a lone female athlete” and was about “the dangers faced by female runners.” The Associated Press also noted the death of Molly Tibbetts, a 20-year-old University of Iowa student who was killed by an illegal alien while jogging in her hometown.
Associated Press report:
Riley’s death has once again put a spotlight on the dangers faced by female runners. Previously, the death of University of Iowa student Molly Tibbetts while jogging in 2018 sparked outrage from other women who shared their stories of harassment and stalking.
Crime statistics show that these types of attacks are rare, but they highlight the need for women to be extremely cautious when going out, even running on campus.
A survey conducted by sportswear company Adidas last year found that 92% of women feared for their safety, and half said they feared physical attack. More than a third of women said they had experienced physical or verbal harassment, such as sexist comments or being followed.
Murder of nursing student while running highlights the fear of solo female athletes https://t.co/RYCpB53JmJ
— Associated Press (@AP) February 25, 2024
Antonio Ybarra was the first illegal immigrant to arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border near El Paso, Texas, in September 2022. Rather than being detained or immediately released, he was released into the interior of the United States through President Joe Biden’s parole pipeline.
In August 2023, Antonio Ibarra was arrested in New York City and charged with injury to a child under 17. The city’s asylum policy guaranteed he would be released from prison without first being turned over to federal immigration authorities.
Antonio Ybarra remains in the Clark County Jail without bail.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Please email jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
