Luke Ratliff, a University of Alabama student, died last Friday night due to complications related to COVID-19, according to The Tuscaloosa News.
- Ratliff, who was 23, was the leader of the Crimson Chaos basketball campus fan group.
- ”He was my son and my best friend,” said his father, Bryan Ratliff, according to The Tuscaloosa News. “But he had an extended Alabama family that I never met and he loved them and they loved him.”
Ratliff was hospitalized in Tuscaloosa. Multiple sources told The Tuscaloosa News it was due to complications with COVID-19.
NCAA Tournament and COVID-19 investigation
Ratliff attended Alabama’s recent NCAA Tournament game against UCLA, according to Bleacher Report. Per The Indianapolis Star, the Marion County health department is investigating whether or not anyone in Indianapolis was exposed by the Alabama students who made the trip.
- “It is unclear whether he had contracted the virus before, during or after his visit to Indianapolis, or where he contracted the virus. It’s also unknown whether he was symptomatic while in Indianapolis,” according to The Indianapolis Star.
Marion County Public Health Department did not specifically name Ratliff in the investigation, but the department said it contacted Alabama about COVID-19 illnesses, per The Indianapolis Star.
- “We are conducting an investigation following the county and state’s standard contact tracing procedures. We continue to encourage residents and visitors to practice the simple and important habits that keep us all safe: wearing a mask, washing hands, and social distancing,” the agency told The Indianapolis Star.