iStock/Thinkstock(CHICAGO) — A teenage anti-violence activist has been shot dead in Chicago, but as his fellow activists mourn, they are vowing to “continue our fight.”
Delmonte Johnson, 19, was standing in front of a store on the city’s South Side about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when shots rang out from a tan sedan, Chicago police told ABC News Friday.
Johnson, who was wounded in the chest, later died local hospital, police said.
No arrests have been made, police said. It’s not clear if the shooting was targeted or random, police added.
Johnson was a member of GoodKids MadCity — a group that describes itself as “Black and Brown young people united in fighting to end violence in our cities.”
“We call for more resources to under-served communities,” the group says.
“We wake up this morning with heavy hearts and horrible news, #GoodKidsMadCity member #DelmonteJohnson was killed last night, he just turned 19,” GoodKids MadCity organizers wrote on Twitter Thursday morning. “Our condolences go out to his family and we will continue our fight to end #GunViolence in Chicago.”
At a vigil Thursday, Johnson’s mother spoke about her son’s passion to give back to the community.
“He was getting ready to get a fundraiser going for the kids so they could go on a Christian camping trip,” said Onique Walker. “My son, oh, God… I’m gonna miss my baby.”
“He laid there with his brother on the ground as he bled out,” Walker told ABC station WLS in Chicago. “I haven’t slept because I’m waiting for him to knock on the door.”
Walker told WLS that Chicago’s gun violence is “overwhelming” and she believes the public needs to vote for politicians who will fight for gun control legislation.
Among those mourning Johnson’s loss is Parkland school shooting survivor-turned-activist David Hogg.
“Delmonte Johnson was a 19-year-old who worked with @GKMC18 as an activist to end gun violence in Chicago, last night he was shot to death,” Hogg tweeted Thursday. “This has to end my heart goes out to Delmonte and his family together we will end this.”
Black Lives Matter Chicago added on Twitter, “Sending love to our @GKMC18 [GoodKidsMadCity] family and all who knew and loved Delmonte. Our hearts are heavy.”Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.