Delta State University Mourns Student’s Death Amid Rising Racial Tensions
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0V9PlqfowsMIcHxUJwKGIn?si=biSrGk3QSR2WjNDnSuTLmQ
APACHE JUNCTION AZ [IFS] -- As political and cultural fights fracture even within MAGA circles, violence has spilled over into Black communities, fueling fear that history is repeating itself.
On Monday, September 15, 2025, the body of 21-year-old freshman Demartravion “Trey” Reed was found hanging from a tree near the pickleball courts at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. University staff made the discovery shortly after 7:00 a.m., prompting the cancellation of classes and centennial celebrations that had been planned for the day.
Investigation and Initial Findings
Delta State University Police are leading the investigation with support from Cleveland Police, the Bolivar County Sheriff’s Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
At a press conference, officials emphasized that “no evidence of foul play” had been found so far. The Bolivar County coroner confirmed a preliminary review revealed no broken bones, lacerations, or injuries consistent with an assault, though the official cause of death will depend on the full autopsy now underway at the Mississippi State Crime Lab.
Contradicting Claims from Family and Social Media
Despite the official line, Reed’s death has quickly become a lightning rod online. A TikTok user identifying as his cousin alleged that Reed had been beaten and had multiple broken bones, claims flatly denied by the coroner’s office. The cousin also accused the university of covering up a racist attack, citing a history of harassment against Reed—including being nearly falsely accused of a hate crime during his earlier time on campus.
Graphic videos purporting to show the scene have circulated widely. Reed’s mother pleaded with the public not to share them, saying the family is already in anguish.
Community Response
University President Dr. Daniel Ennis expressed condolences to the family and made counseling services available to students and staff. He stressed that the campus was not on lockdown and that officials did not believe there was an ongoing threat to the community. Security has nevertheless been heightened in response to fears among students and faculty.
Broader Concerns
Reed’s death sits against Mississippi’s long shadow of racial violence, where lynchings were once routine and investigations often left unanswered questions. Many on social media argue that authorities are too quick to label such cases suicides, pointing to a string of similar incidents reported across the South in recent years.
Local voices echo that worry. Residents of Greenville and other Delta towns say they have witnessed decades of Black men’s deaths being brushed aside, even as families insist racism played a role.
Unanswered Questions
As of now, the only official record is a preliminary coroner’s statement ruling out external injuries. The full autopsy will be crucial in determining whether Trey Reed’s death was, as authorities suggest, a suicide—or whether the family’s suspicions of racial violence will gain weight.
For many in Cleveland, the uncertainty is already too much. To them, the image of a young Black man hanging from a tree in Mississippi is a wound that never healed, reopened once again.
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