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Healing Walk Planned at University of Colorado Colorado Springs Following Tragic Deaths
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is reeling from the devastating loss of three individuals on campus last week. In response to the tragic events, the university has announced that all classes will be canceled on Monday to allow students and staff to participate in a healing walk.
The healing walk is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at the Roaring Fork dining hall and will proceed to the mountain lion statue in El Pomar Plaza near the Kraemer Family Library. Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet, Student Body President Axel Brown, and UCCS Chief of Police Dewayne McCarver will be giving brief statements during the walk.
In a statement released on Sunday, Chancellor Sobanet encouraged the UCCS community to take time to process the events of the past week, both individually and in group settings. The walk is open to the Colorado Springs community, providing an opportunity for collective mourning and healing.
The recent deaths on campus have left the UCCS community in shock. Last Friday, the Colorado Springs Police Department launched a homicide investigation after two individuals were found dead in a campus dorm room. The victims have been identified as Celie Rain Montgomery, 26, of Pueblo, and Samuel Knopp, 24, of Parker.
Knopp, a senior music student at UCCS, was described as “an accomplished guitar player and an extremely talented musician” by Chancellor Sobanet. Montgomery, who was not a registered student at the university, worked as a freelance copywriter. Sobanet expressed that Montgomery will also be deeply missed by the campus community.
Tragically, the campus experienced another loss on Feb. 12 when nursing student Mia Brown passed away after a medical emergency at a campus gym. Brown, a dedicated nursing student who was actively involved on campus, will be remembered fondly by those who knew her.
To accommodate participants of the healing walk, free parking will be available, and transportation will be provided for those who are unable to walk the entire route. The UCCS community is encouraged to come together to support one another during this difficult time.
The Gazette news reporter O’Dell Isaac contributed to this report..