Nursing Student Murdered on UGA Jogging Trail Sparks National Campus Safety Debate

TIMELY WARNING - HOMICIDE: On February 22, 2024, at approximately 12:07 p.m. the UGA Police Department received a call from an individual concerned for the welfare of a friend who had gone to run at the Intramural Fields earlier in the morning and had not returned as expected. Officers responded to the area and immediately began a search of the area at approximately 12:20 p.m. in an attempt to locate the individual. Officers located the individual in the forested area behind Lake Herrick at approximately 12:38 p.m. The individual was unconscious and not breathing, and had visible injuries.

TIMELY WARNING UPDATE - HOMICIDE: The University of Georgia Police Department has taken a suspect into custody for the homicide of 22-year-old Laken Riley. The victim was a student at UGA through Spring Semester 2023, prior to transferring to the Augusta University College of Nursing program at Athens, where she was currently enrolled. At this time, there are no indications of a continuing threat to the UGA campus related to this matter.