Dante Barksdale, an anti-gun violence activist who worked as an outreach coordinator for Baltimore's Safe Streets program, was fatally shot on Sunday, The Baltimore Sun reported. 

Barksdale, 46, was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The Baltimore Police Department said homicide detectives are investigating the case, however, no suspects or motives have been made known. 

“The investigation is ongoing and we have no further updates to provide at this time,” a police spokeswoman told the New York Post in a statement on Monday.

Newly sworn-in Mayor Brandon Scott
released a statement honoring Barskdale's work. 

“My heart is broken with the loss of my friend Dante Barksdale, a beloved leader in our community who committed his life to saving lives in Baltimore," Scott wrote. "He was the heart and soul of Safe Streets, where he worked for nine years. His death is a major loss to Safe Streets, the communities they serve, and the entire City of Baltimore. I send my deepest condolences and prayers to Dante’s family in this tragic time." 

Scott continued his statement by emphasizing the importance of the Safe Streets program. 

"While I am devastated by the loss of my brother in the fight to save lives in Baltimore, I will not let those who chose to violently take his life dampen the light of his work," Scott continued. "The work that Dante did, and the work that so many in Safe Streets and other street-based organizations do to actively interrupt violence, is critical to my priority of reducing violence and making Baltimore’s neighborhoods safer." 

Barksdale took his outreach work very seriously and was known for being among the community for which he served. Just a few weeks prior to his fatal shooting, he had delivered coats to those in need at the very same apartment complex where he was killed, according to a resident account given to The Baltimore Sun.

Driven by his own sour past, Barksdale, who was the nephew of Nathan “Bodie” Barksdale, the infamous Baltimore drug kingpin who was among those who sparked the inspiration for the HBO series, The Wire, utilized this intimate connection to create community change in his role at Safe Streets. He was revered by community members and city officials, alike. 

“Dante was not only a respected Safe Streets team member but a beloved friend to so many in Baltimore," said Shantay Jackson, Director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, in a statement released by the mayor's office. "He turned his life around and worked tirelessly for nearly a decade to prevent gun violence in our communities by working with those who were at the highest risk of being a shooter or the victim of shooting. Our office mourns this senseless loss of life with the rest of Baltimore City and is committed to honoring his life and his light by continuing to work to end gun violence in our city once and for all.” 

Mayor Scott announced in a tweet that a virtual vigil will be held Monday at 6 p.m. 

According to the mayor's website, the city's Safe Streets program was created in 2007 "to prevent violence and change community norms in Baltimore City." Dante began working for the initiative in 2012. 

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