After the tragic passing of Demartravion “Trey” Reed on a Mississippi college campus, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick—who played six seasons with the 49ers and is now a civil rights activist—stepped in to support Reed’s family. As reported by the New York Post, Kaepernick is covering the cost of an independent autopsy for the 21-year-old freshman.

His decision came after Ben Crump, the high-profile civil rights attorney representing Reed’s family, revealed that they had “raised serious concerns” about his death “after receiving conflicting accounts and incomplete information about the cause of his death.” Soon after, Kaepernick’s wife, Nessa Diab, voiced her support on Instagram.

She thanked her husband for taking action and called for accountability from the authorities. “Thank you @kaepernick7 for your vision and creating KYRC Autopsy Initiative-an impactful program to provide free autopsies to families who lost a loved one in police custody. Families deserve answers and closure,” she shared via her Instagram story.

Back in 2016, Kaepernick and his partner Nessa founded the “Know Your Rights Camp.” The organization aimed to hold free seminars for disadvantaged youths to teach them about self-empowerment, American history, and their legal rights. And now, through his KYRC initiative, Kaepernick is funding a second autopsy for Reed.

Reed, a Delta State University freshman, lost his life on September 15. Three days later, the Cleveland Police Department announced that an autopsy conducted by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s office ruled Reed’s death s–cide. Since his death, controversy has only intensified, fueled by the uncertainty surrounding his final moments.

Surveillance footage under review after Trey Reed’s death

“Trey’s death evoked the collective memory of a community that has suffered a historic wound over many, many years and many, many deaths. Peace will come only by getting to the truth,” Crump said in a statement. We thank Colin Kaepernick for supporting this grieving family and the cause of justice and truth.”

Meanwhile, Delta State University Police Chief Michael Peeler confirmed that investigators are reviewing surveillance footage to piece together what happened to the computer science major. At the same time, Jy’Quon Wallace, president of the school’s African American Student Council, revealed that he saw Reed on Sunday night in a heated phone conversation, just hours before his death.

“I could tell he was real upset,” Wallace said. “He was making gestures and was acting like he was throwing stuff. He would kick the wall and then he stormed off toward Blansett Hall. He was just out of it. He was real upset, and I had never seen him like that before.” That said, Reed’s passing remains shrouded in questions, with his family and community searching for answers. Until clarity emerges, the mystery of his final moments continues to weigh heavily on many.