Following the kidnapping and murder of Eliza Fletcher, a jogger from Tennessee, runners across Texas are starting to express concern for their own safety. Fletcher was attacked on an early morning run, although the attack is believed to have been random.
Fletcher had two children and worked as a teacher in Memphis.
One Texas runner, Natalie Merrill, said that when it comes to running, women are more vulnerable than men. She told WFAA that when she runs, she makes sure to have a knife and mace with her.
“It’s sad that I have to constantly do that, that I have to think about that,” she said. “I have to be constantly on the lookout.”
While Fletcher’s case has received support from running communities in Texas, Tennessee, and other states, Merrill shared that on social media some people have begun to blame Fletcher.
“In 2015 I had a gun pulled on me when I was running and one of the first things people said to me was, ‘Why were you running so early alone?’ She was just doing something she loved,” Merrill told WFAA.
Merrill is part of a Dallas-based running group called White Rock Running Co-Op.
Conrad Vickroy is also a Texas runner, and he has spent 20 years offering self-defense classes for female runners.
Vickroy told WFAA that the classes show runners martial arts moves to help them feel safer.
“We want to give them all those pointers, but we also want to recognize the fact that it’s always the attacker’s fault, it’s not the runner’s fault,” he said.
In Beaumont, Texas, residents are on high alert after an incident that took place on September 12. Police were called about an attempted abduction at the Gulf Terrace Hike and Bike Trail, 12 News Now reported.
Haley Williams, the manager for On the Run, a Beaumont sportswear store, stated that it is important for runners and joggers to stay aware, especially when they are out alone.
“You just have to be alert at all times. There should be no reason why you zone out. These people are predators, and they’re going to attack somebody, or they’re going to go after somebody,” Williams told 12 News Now.
The suspect arrested in connection with the September 12 attempted abduction is Jarmond James. James is being held on a $10,000 bond and has been arrested several times before.
Beaumont Police Officer Haley Morrow shared that although James will not be charged with attempted kidnapping, he is still facing charges. Morrow added that runners and joggers in the community who see anything suspicious should make sure to call the police.
“It’s still something that we can look into,” Morrow told 12 News Now. “At the very least, it lets that potential suspect know that you’re paying attention, and you’re not the person that should be targeted.”
Members of the North Texas running community gathered in Frisco on September 12 to honor Fletcher, Fox 4 News reported. The group met at Cobb Middle School at 4 a.m. and completed a 4.9-mile run.
