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.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
NDP house leader laments 'agents of chaos' in precarious Parliament
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of P.E.I. teen Tyson MacDonald
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
Jury begins deliberations in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
The jury tasked with determining if Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard sexually assaulted a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago began deliberating Friday after nearly two weeks of testimony that saw the singer and his accuser give starkly different accounts of what happened.
Here's what the jury didn't hear in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.
2 dead after fire rips through historic building in Old Montreal
At least two people are dead and others are injured after a fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal early Friday morning, sources told Noovo Info.
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
