Black student ‘Trey’ Reed found hanging at Mississippi’s Delta State campus, sparks FBI calls and independent probe

A 21-year-old Black student, Trey Reed, was found hanging on Delta State’s campus in Mississippi.

New DelhiSeptember 17, 2025 06:32 AM IST First published on: Sep 17, 2025 at 06:31 AM IST

Black Student Found Hanging at Delta State

Trey Reed’s Death at Delta State Raises Questions Amid No Foul Play Ruling (Pic- AP, Attorney Crump X)

A 21-year-old Black student, Demartravion “Trey” Reed, was found hanging from a tree on Delta State University’s campus in Cleveland, Mississippi. The body was found early on Monday near the pickleball courts, and the case is under investigation, Associated Press reported.

Delta State Police Chief Michael Peeler told reporters there were “no signs of foul play” and no ongoing threat to students or staff, according to AP. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, local police, and sheriff’s deputies are assisting in the case.

The Bolivar County coroner said a preliminary examination showed no broken bones or injuries consistent with an assault, dismissing online rumours that Reed’s body had visible trauma.

According to the campus police, more details will only be available after the medical examiner completes their review. The Bolivar County coroner’s office has taken Reed’s body, and doctors will determine the exact cause of death.

According to AP, Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the student’s family and announced he will launch an independent review. “We cannot accept vague conclusions when so many questions remain,” Crump said in a statement. “I stand with this family, and I will lead a team of civil rights leaders and organisations in pursuing transparency and answers.”

https://twitter.com/AttorneyCrump/status/1968065375142367409 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

US Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat representing Mississippi, has requested the FBI to step in. “The FBI has the tools and experience necessary to conduct a thorough, unbiased inquiry, and time is of the essence,” Thompson said in a statement to AP.

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In a video posted to Facebook, Delta State President Dan Ennis said operations have resumed, but the university continues to mourn alongside the student’s family. “We know that we can never fully heal this wound,” Ennis said. “We continue to cooperate with investigators. We continue to make sure that all the information necessary is given to the authorities. And we continue to hope for answers.”

Classes were cancelled on Monday, along with centennial events marking Delta State’s founding in 1925. The school, located in Cleveland near the Arkansas border, has a capacity of 2,600 students — 42% of whom are Black.

The discovery comes just 30 miles from the site linked to the infamous lynching of Emmett Till nearly 70 years ago.

(With inputs from AP)

# Mississippi