Police said 28-year-old Ronnie Roper was in a South Side parking lot at about 12:16 p.m. when two people walked up and shot him in the head.
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The shooting occurred just outside Chicago CRED's outreach center in the Roseland neighborhood. The victim was a member of that group that works to stop gun violence. CRED stands for Creating real Economic Destiny.
"It has been devastating," said CRED site manager Necole Muhammad. "The staff is in shock and traumatized. The family is traumatized."
CRED said Roper was on track to get his high school diploma later this year.
"He was very excited about making sure he brought that into fruition for his family, and because he had individuals that were team him," Muhammad said.
The group was founded by former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Duncan had just left the center minutes before the shooting.
Duncan released a statement saying, "We lost to gun violence a man who had been with our program for the last nine months. He came to us because he wanted a way out of his life on the streets and had made great progress toward that goal..."
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He went on to say in part that this death is a reminder that, "We have so much more work to do to make Chicago a safe city with meaningful opportunities for everyone."
Duncan also offered condolences to the victim's family, saying his staff has been traumatized by the loss.
As the staffers and participants take some time for self-care and mourning in the wake of the shooting, Muhammad said they are also even more motivated to help people who are ready for a second chance.
"No matter where you live in this city we are all impacted by it, and if we don't handle it as one community it will come knocking at your door," said Muhammad.
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