On May 17, 2023, Ronnie Roper, a 28-year-old member of the Chicago CRED (Create Real Economic Destiny) organization, was fatally shot in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago. The incident occurred in a parking lot near the Chicago CRED outreach center, where Roper was a participant and had been working to turn his life around.
Roper was shot in the head by two individuals who approached him in the parking lot at around 12:16 p.m.
He was found by police and paramedics, who transported him to a hospital, but he did not survive the attack.
Roper had been a part of the Chicago CRED program for nine months, during which he made significant progress. He was working towards obtaining his high school diploma and was excited about an upcoming trip to New York. Roper also played a role in recruiting younger individuals from the Roseland neighborhood to join the CRED program.
The shooting was particularly devastating for the Chicago CRED community, as Roper's death marked the second loss of a violence prevention worker in the city within a week. Mark Johnson, who worked for Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC), had been killed just days earlier.
Chicago CRED, founded by former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, provides therapy, job placement services, and other programs aimed at reducing gun violence among high-risk individuals. Duncan expressed his condolences to Roper's family and emphasized the need for continued efforts to make Chicago a safer city with meaningful opportunities for everyone.
As of the current date, no one has been arrested or charged in connection with Roper's murder. The investigation is ongoing, and police are seeking information from the public to help identify the perpetrators. The community has been deeply affected by Roper's death, and his memory is being honored through various tributes, including a planned balloon release at a graduation ceremony.
