Laken Riley’s Former High School Memorializes Slain Nursing Student

While many national media and political figures have carefully avoided the name of Laken Riley, her former high school’s cross country club recently hosted an event to raise funds for the Laken Hope Foundation. According to NW Atlanta News, the River Ridge High School Cross Country Booster Club hosted a “22 laps for 22 years of Laken’s life” event on May 19.

Riley was a 22 year old nursing student at Augusta University when she was found murdered in February of this year. A 26 year old illegal alien from Venezuela has been indicted and charged with her killing. She was formerly a student at River Ridge High School and competed on the cross-country team.

Nearly 700 participants signed up for the run/walk raising funds for the Laken Hope Foundation which brings awareness to women’s safety and children’s health care. The foundation is also establishing a scholarship for nursing students.

Riley’s death has sparked intense debate over president Biden’s lax border policies and crime at the hands of illegal immigrants. Nearly half of Georgia voters say Biden’s border policies contribute to crimes like Riley’s murder.

During his State of the Union address, Biden mistakenly referred to Laken Riley as “Lincoln Riley” after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) shouted, “Say her name!”

In March, the U.S. House passed the “Laken Riley Act” by a vote of 251-170. That Act would require the detention and deportation of illegals who are charged with theft. That bill is now pending in the U.S. Senate.

The vote underscores the deep partisan divide over the president’s border policies as every House Republican and 37 Democrats voted for the bill with 170 House Democrats voting against it. Every Democratic Georgia member of the House voted against the bill.

A poll among Georgia voters taken by the League of American Workers (LAW) showed that 61% of those surveyed believe that Biden’s border policies are to blame for crimes like Riley’s murder.