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Thousands of runners rally across the US to finish the run of Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher, who was kidnapped and murdered last week while jogging

Boston runners pay tribute to Eliza Fletcher, who died while jogging early in the morning


Boston runners pay tribute to Eliza Fletcher, who died while jogging early in the morning

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Katie Grusin didn’t know Eliza Fletcherbut she woke up at 3:20 a.m. in a pink top before attending an all-night-and-run event honoring the murdered kindergarten teacher who was kidnapped while jogging before dawn in Memphis, Tennessee. I wore

In cities across the United States, thousands of people like Grusin finished Eliza’s run on Friday morning.

Holding a candle in the early morning darkness of Memphis, Grusin gathered with others to sing “This Little Light of Mine,” a song related to Fletcher that he softly sang to his students in a video posted on the internet. I was. Grusin then stood along Central Avenue, cheering hundreds of runners on as they attempted to complete his eight-mile run, which Fletcher had started just a week before him.

Grusin didn’t join the 4:20 a.m. run, but in the wake of the tragedy that struck runners across the country, he felt compelled to do something.

In an afternoon interview with The Associated Press, Grusin said, “In that moment, it’s just beautiful, thinking about people around you who are probably in different circles of grief than you.

Fletcher, who wore a pink top and purple shorts, was forced into a car after a struggle last Friday and was found behind an empty house on Monday after a major police search lasted more than three days. Her body was found. charged with her kidnapping and murder.

The murder of the 34-year-old mother of two, an avid runner, has shocked people across the country and particularly upset female runners. Her obituary described Fletcher as a “born athlete” who enjoyed spending time outside with her husband and her children.

As a tribute to Fletcher, the group of runners decided to “finish Eliza’s run” on Friday morning. Groups have also performed in Dallas, Nashville, Chattanooga, Tupelo, Mississippi, and many other cities and towns across the country. Hundreds of people have logged their runs on websites dedicated to the event.

Fletcher was photographed during a run on the campus of the University of Memphis. Her 21-year-old Grusin, who studies advertising and social media marketing at the school, lives near where Fletcher was attacked.

The university issued a safety warning to students, and the media caught up on the story and the results of the Fletcher search.

“The news stories that morning were so random, so violent, so close to home, and terrifying,” said Grusin, who is from Memphis.

Many female athletes fear exercising alone at night or in secluded areas, and while crime statistics show such killings are extremely rare, many female athletes have Even locally, many people report being harassed or worse.

“In a way, a lot of the women there resonated with her,” Grusin said. “Looking back, that’s the most emotional part for me as a woman. We have to watch our backs and my head is spinning. It just feels awful.”

Emotions are high in Memphis, a city reeling from the murder of Fletcher this week. Wednesday shooting This forced people to take refuge in place, leading to a city-wide search for the man who apparently shot seven people at random. Four people died.

Memphis, like other cities in the United States, has a violent crime problem. In recent weeks, the city has also seen other kidnappings. There has also been a non-fatal shooting of a Memphis police officer searching for a stolen vehicle, a church pastor shot dead in a driveway during a carjacking during the daytime, and a shooting incident. Community activist dies during money argument.

But most people in the city and surrounding Shelby County are neither victims nor perpetrators of crime. They see Friday’s scene of compassion, unity and hope as a beacon of goodness in the city.

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said, “The incredible attendance at this morning’s event shows that there are good people in Memphis and that these incidents do not represent Memphis. .

County Mayor Lee Harris tweeted, adding, “We will not be in the shadows. We will be shining.”



https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eliza-fletcher-killed-thousands-runners-finish-elizas-run/ Thousands of runners rally across the US to finish the run of Memphis teacher Eliza Fletcher, who was kidnapped and murdered last week while jogging

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