WATCH: Democrat Mayor Says There's No Connection Between Immigration And Crime Following Laken Riley Murder By Illegal Migrant

On Wednesday, in Athens, Georgia, Mayor Kelly Darryl Girtz (D) held a press conference following the brutal murder of 22-year-old Laken Riley by a suspected 26-year-old illegal immigrant named Jose Antonio Ibarra. During the press conference, which was interrupted multiple times by protestors demanding change to ensure public safety, the mayor claimed that there is no connection between immigration and crime.

Riley, who was described as a "shining light," was found dead on the University of Georgia's campus on Thursday. One of the young woman's friends reported her missing after she did not come back from a jog near the school's intramural fields. Authorities eventually found Riley without a pulse. They attempted CPR but were unable to resuscitate her. The young nursing student had "visible injuries" that led to the authorities suspecting foul play and launching an investigation, eventually settling on Ibarra as the main suspect. It was later revealed that Riley was beaten to death with an object that led to "seriously disfiguring her body … by disfiguring her skull." Following the beating, Ibarra then dragged her body to a secluded area.

During a press conference, UGA Police Chief Jeffrey L. Clark explained that Ibarra is not a citizen of the United States and that he potentially is from Venezuela. He has been charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, kidnapping, hindering a 911 call, and concealing the death of another, as previously reported by the DC Enquirer. Authorities in New York previously had custody of Ibarra for endangering a minor. Still, the NYPD released him onto the streets before Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could issue a detainer.

The murder case has led to immediate backlash, with local residents turning out to voice their frustration with the mayor during the Wednesday press conference. "The only appropriate number of murders in this community, the number that we are gonna be working our tails off every day for, is zero," Girtz said.

"I caution against conflating immigration and crime. The data demonstrates that the two are not connected," Mayor Girtz claimed. "Because of the impact of federal immigration policy on localities has been under such consistent discussion in recent months, I do want to say a few words about this. It's my eighteenth year as a local government policymaker, and my work has overlapped with four US presidencies and numerous iterations of Congress. All of them have failed on how to reach an agreement on handling immigration."

UNFVCKING REAL: Democrat mayor of Athens, Kelly Darryl Girtz states that murder Laken Riley is not related to illegal immigration:

"I caution against conflating immigration and crime. The data demonstrates that the two are not connected." pic.twitter.com/qDOvjhk69I

— I Meme Therefore I Am 🇺🇸 (@ImMeme0) February 28, 2024

Here is the Mayor of Athens, GA telling us we must respect the dignity of migrants, and tries to deflect to Trump and Charlottesville

Laken Riley was just beaten to death under his sanctuary city policies pic.twitter.com/qkD4iqTvIm

— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) February 28, 2024