A student committed suicide after alleged sexual assaults at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette.

Jeremy Basil Brown, a 21-year-old UL student, took their life on April 7, 2024. This occurred two days after Brown posted on their Instagram profile, @8asil00, who influenced their decision. 

In Brown’s last post, the photo has Brown standing in front of one of the parking towers in their “suicide fit.” 

Brown’s caption also provided a “[…] very abbreviated list of my rapists” including the names Chris Moody, Josh Brown, and Shawn R Popp. 

The day after the incident, UL sent out a public announcement that left students frustrated and uneasy. 

According to the @ul_whistleblower, an Instagram page used to share information and thoughts on UL matters, the university’s public announcement did not offer an appropriate response to Brown’s death. 

“[The university’s] response was to alienate the victim’s friends from offering any help or support to the victim, thereby isolating them […] This cowardly failure to say what happened not only perpetuated rumors that they were murdered or otherwise, but also further stigmatizes the reality that students struggle with suicidal thoughts,” UL Whistleblower said.

The UL Whistleblower continued by saying the resources the university Wellness and Testing center provide are “ineffective in preventing a preventable tragedy.”

John Desrette, a UL sophomore general studies student, said he arrived on campus about an hour after the incident. He said police swarmed around the parking tower and directed him towards another exit so as to not see Brown.

“I knew of [Basil] but didn’t know them personally. I know of the incident though. I was driving back to campus and saw cops everywhere in the parking tower. I drove up and parked, and when I walked down the stairs, I asked an officer what was going on. He claimed the area was closed off and I had to go the other way around. As I got to my room, I turned to Facebook and Snapchat and read about what was going on,” Desrette said.

Desrette said social media platforms did not aid in finding truth but instead spread rumors. He said that what happened is difficult to understand, but that if someone is going through a hard time, they should seek help.

If you or someone you know are experiencing thoughts of suicide or are just in need of mental health services, feel free to contact the Nicholls Counseling Center. 

You can call the center at (985) 448-4080 or drop by 224 Elkins Hall to schedule an appointment from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

For after-hours emergencies, call Nicholls University Police at (985) 448-4911.

The suicide and crisis lifeline number is 988 and is available 24 hours.