Vigil held in Victoria Park to support trans community

A vigil was held in Victoria Park on Feb. 29, 2024, to remember a non-binary student in Oklahoma who died earlier in February. (Amandalina Letterio/CTV News London)

A vigil was held in London, Ont. Thursday night to remember a non-binary student in Oklahoma who died earlier in February.

Nearly 100 people gathered in Victoria Park to mourn 16-year-old Nex Benedict.

Nex died one day after a fight with three girls at their high school. The Benedict family believes Nex was the target of bullying.

Nex was taken to hospital, but was released from care that same day.

Police said their death was not a result of injuries suffered in the fight based on preliminary autopsy reports.

Police will not comment further on the cause of death until they receive a toxicology report and full autopsy is done.

Organizers of the vigil said that although the incident didn’t happen locally, it impacts the London community.

“There are a lot of trans folk here, and these conservative values are coming over here (to Canada) too, as much as we wold like to pretend they aren’t,” said vigil organizer Soleil Marshall. “Trans youth deserve to be safe in schools in America, in Canada, everywhere. I feel like it’s important to show that the trans community here stands with the trans community everywhere.”