Skip to main content
You have permission to edit this article.
Edit
Developing Featured Top Story

UGA mourns: Community unites for Laken Riley and Wyatt Banks

  • Updated
  • 7 min to read
240226_LM_LakenWyattVigil_01

A vigil was held in memory of University of Georgia freshman Wyatt Banks and Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley at UGA Tate Plaza in Athens, Georgia, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Both students died within 24 hours of each other and the community has come together to mourn their loss. (Photo/Laney Martin; @LaneyMartinPhotography)

In a sea of hundreds of people, not one person in the University of Georgia community was alone in their grief.

Students and the campus community gathered in mourning on Monday, Feb. 26, at Tate Plaza to honor Wyatt Banks’ and Laken Riley’s lives. The vigil was jointly hosted by UGA’s Kappa Sigma fraternity and Alpha Chi Omega sorority chapters — brothers and sisters to Banks and Riley.

“They were both students here — they were basically family to us, regardless of how much we got to interact with them or got to know them,” Lauren Summerall, a freshman psychology major, said.

In the span of 24 hours, the two students died on campus — Banks on Wednesday, Feb. 21, and Riley on Thursday, Feb. 22. In the wake of their deaths, which were unrelated incidents, campus emptied and fell quiet after administration canceled class and the community grieved insurmountable losses.

Students and community members have poured out support for Banks’ and Riley’s loved ones in the days following their deaths.

“Not one more Dawg,” Dabney Duncan, president of UGA’s Panhellenic Council, said at the Feb. 26 vigil.

240226_ear_LakenWyattVigilCover_01

Dabney Duncan, University of Georgia Panhellenic president, spoke at a community vigil that was held in memory of UGA freshman Wyatt Banks and Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley at UGA Tate Plaza in Athens, Georgia, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Both students died within 24 hours of each other and hundreds came together to mourn their loss. (Photo/Liz Rymarev)

Remembering two lives

Banks, a freshman, was a student in the Morehead Honors College and was majoring in political science and economics. He was also a member of the Kappa Sigma chapter at UGA.

“[He was] definitely a person you would want to get to know because no matter who you are, he was always willing to help,” Nicholas Nichols, a member of Banks’ pledge class, said. “It was always fun with him. Hanging out in our dorm and watching movies … hanging out in the Brumby study rooms for hours.”

Friends remember Banks as someone who was always kind, fun to be around and looking out for others. He was loved by everyone and an integral part of Kappa Sigma, chapter member Joe Rishwain wrote in a text to The Red & Black.

“When he walked into the room, you could feel his presence there — always smiling,” Jonathan Tassani, freshman finance major and Banks’ friend, said.

Banks was elected to be one of the chapter rush chairs for the upcoming year and was a great fit for the position, according to Tassani, who was a member of the same pledge class as Banks. Tassani said Banks was already making connections to potential chapter members, such as Tassani’s roommate.

Tassani said he hopes people remember Banks by being aware of how mental health issues impact men. Mental Health America reported that nearly one in 10 men experience depression or anxiety, but less than half will receive treatment.

“I think that part of his legacy should be an emphasis on men’s mental health. There’s a stigma around it that a lot of men are afraid to really open up and show their feelings to people,” Tassani said. “And I feel like Wyatt was a prime example of that because through all of his smiling and laughter that he brought us, he was really hurting inside and it’s just a travesty to see.”

240226_FS_LakenWyattVigil_01

Nick Nichols, a member of Wyatt Bank’s Pledge Class, speaks at a vigil held in memory of University of Georgia freshman Wyatt Banks and Augusta nursing student Laken Riley at UGA Tate Plaza in Athens, Georgia, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Both students died within 24 hours of each other and the community has come together to mourn their loss. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)

260224_NS_LakenWyattVigil_05

A student prays at the community-held vigil for University of Georgia freshman Wyatt Banks and Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Hundreds came together to mourn their loss on campus.(Photo/Liz Rymarev)

The Kappa Sigma Beta Lambda chapter organized a fundraiser for Banks’ memorial. The GoFundMe surpassed its $100,000 goal to support his family and raise awareness toward mental health.

According to the GoFundMe, Kappa Sigma plans to present the money to Banks’ family to cover funeral expenses, donate to mental health organizations, establish a scholarship fund or for other ideas Banks’ family feels will memorialize him.

Riley, age 22, was killed on campus on Thursday, Feb. 22. A friend reported her missing after not returning from her run at Lake Herrick on UGA's intramural fields that morning.

Riley was a nursing student at the Athens campus of Augusta University’s College of Nursing. She attended UGA until the spring 2023 before transferring to the nursing college. In the fall of 2023, she made the dean’s list at Augusta University, and she was set to graduate in 2025.

She received her honorary white coat in August 2023, symbolizing “humanism, compassion and the start of her nurse’s journey,” according to an Instagram post made by the school in Riley’s memory.

In addition to pursuing nursing, Riley’s passion to care for others led her to work as a nanny, according to her obituary.

“Laken was an amazing daughter, sister, friend and overall person in general. Her love for the Lord was exemplified in every aspect of her life,” the obituary states.

240226_ear_'Laken'LakeHerrickSign_01

The Lake Herrick sign at Lake Herrick on University of Georgia's south campus has flowers, stuffed animals and a taped letter "N" to spell out Laken Riley's name on the sign in Athens, Georgia, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Riley was killed while going for a run at Lake Herrick on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (Photo/Liz Rymarev)

Riley graduated from River Ridge High School in 2020 and was from Woodstock, Georgia. She was a member of the UGA Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

“She was still active in her sorority here,” university spokesman Greg Trevor told The Red & Black. “She was active in the community and well known and from all accounts very well liked.”

A GoFundMe in Riley’s honor has received more than $125,000 in donations, surpassing the fundraiser’s $35,000 goal by almost $100,000 at the time of publication. The fundraiser, according to the organizer’s post, was created to assist the family with funeral expenses or go toward other expenses for Riley’s family.

The GoFundMe will also work to start the Laken Hope Riley foundation to raise homicide awareness and increase safety for women, according to the obituary.

“No words can express the pain and heartache that Laken’s family and friends are experiencing,” the GoFundMe post read. “She was a wonderful friend, sister, daughter, etc. who touched the lives of everyone around her. Her infectious smile and contagious laugh lit up every room she entered.”

Community groups respond

In addition to the Monday afternoon vigil, multiple Greek life organizations hosted mourning events, including a prayer walk held by Beta Upsilon Chi and a Greek Circle prayer service by Phi Delta Theta following the deaths.

“I feel like with everything that happened, it’s a good time to tell everyone you love them and make sure everyone else is handling it OK and making sure you’re open to your friends,” Cannon Harman, a junior who helped organize the Greek Circle prayer service, said.

Other community groups released statements in response to the deaths.

“Please don’t stop running,” wrote the Slow Girl Run Club in an Instagram post Friday regarding Riley’s death. “As women we are always on guard and aware of our safety anywhere we go, it is not fair. This is a horrific event and something that we unfortunately have seen in national news time and time again. Don’t let that take away your power.”

240226_ear_'Laken'LakeHerrickSign_02

Runners place flowers in Laken Riley's, Augusta University nursing student, memory at Lake Herrick's sign at Lake Herrick on University of Georgia's campus in Athens, Georgia, on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. The sign also has the letter "N" taped onto the sign to spell out "Laken". (Photo/Liz Rymarev)

Counselors and support services were at the Athens campus of the Augusta University College of Nursing the day after Riley’s death, along with the interim dean and other administrators. While classes were canceled on Friday, the college’s campus remained open as a gathering place for students, faculty and staff.

“The College of Nursing will miss Laken’s spirit on campus,” the college wrote in a post on Instagram. “We know that she would have been a wonderful nurse, and her passing is a loss for the profession and the communities she would have graciously served.”

Concerns for safety and well-being

UGA canceled classes on the Friday following the two deaths. Multiple events across campus were also canceled or rescheduled. Many students chose to go home for the weekend because of safety concerns.

“I usually don’t feel unsafe on campus,” Alexis Sotilleo, a senior biology major, said. “But knowing what happened and how [Riley] died in the middle of the day is kind of concerning. Now, generally I don’t feel as safe as I did before … I’ll generally be more aware of my surroundings [now].”

Parents also took to social media to express concerns for student safety at UGA.

“It just made me sick and heartbroken because that could have been my daughter,” Veronica Bennett, whose daughter is a UGA student, said. “I think we need to do better. I think we can do better … It could be your roommate next. It could be my daughter.”

As a further call for campus safety, an anonymous female student started a petition following Riley’s death to reinstall emergency blue lights on UGA’s campus. The blue call boxes connect callers directly with emergency services. At the time of publication, the petition had more than 25,000 signatures.

UGA responded to calls for increased safety by approving new safety measures totaling more than $7.3 million on Tuesday, Feb. 27. Measures included adding more crosswalks in high traffic areas, converting 400 lights to brighter LED technology, more cameras and license plate readers, a permanent 20% increase to the UGAPD budget for recruitment and the installation of combined security camera-blue light box systems.

The RideSmart program, which provides a 50% discount on Lyft rides for UGA students, will also extend its operation periods by four hours to operate between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

UGA administration recommended students, faculty and staff download the UGA Safe App, travel in groups when possible and be aware of surroundings.

The app has features designed to increase student safety, including a chat function and the ability to share their location with police or with a friend. It also provides emergency resources and guidance for reporting tips to the police, viewing maps of campus and accessing information in the UGAAlert system.

“It is a really effective app, and we’re trying to encourage every member of the community — students, faculty, staff, visitors — to sign up for it,” Trevor said.

The campus community also expressed concerns for the mental well-being of students, particularly of men. Men are less likely to seek help for mental health, according to a study in the American Journal of Men’s Health. Women in the U.S. are 1.6 times more likely to receive any form of mental health treatment compared to men across a 12-month period, according to the study.

“Wyatt hid the pain he was in and the fact that he was the one truly in need of help,” Nichols said at the vigil. “I and many others will forever wish that we had noticed his pain or he had said something. If you’re quietly suffering, there’s always someone you can find to listen and help.”

Students were also encouraged to contact Counseling and Psychiatric Services or Student Care and Outreach for support following the deaths on campus. At the Monday vigil held on campus, counselors were at Tate Plaza to offer support to people in attendance.

As the vigil came to an end, UGA’s campus emptied once again. United in grief, the UGA community celebrated the lives of Riley and Banks — lives that were inspiring, remarkable and beautiful.

There was space for whispers of hope among the hushed murmurs and sobs at the vigil — hope that healing will come soon with each passing day.

240226_ear_RileyBanksRocksVigil_01

Two rocks were painted and labelled in honor of University of Georgia freshman Wyatt Banks and Augusta University nursing student Laken Riley and were placed at a community-held vigil at UGA Tate Plaza on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024. Both students died within 24 hours of each other and hundreds came together to mourn their loss. (Photo/Liz Rymarev)

Get The Red & Black in Your Inbox!

* indicates required