Caleb Reed, a 17-year-old Chicago activist who gained national attention for his defund the police efforts, was shot and killed over the weekend.
The Mather High School student died Sunday after being shot in the head in Chicago’s West Rogers Park on the North Side across the street from his home.
Officers responding to a 911 report of shots fired, found Reed on the sidewalk suffering from a gunshot wound to the head around 1 p.m. He was pronounced dead at
In a June interview with ABC7 News, Reed spoke out against police in public schools.
33 people were shot and 9 killed in ongoing violence in Chicago over the weekend. Two juveniles, including Reed, are among the dead.
Reed was one of the more well-known Black Lives Matter activists in Chicago. His youth and determination to rid schools of police made him a favorite among the local and national news media.
“It’s not fair to know that a young person who fought so hard is no longer here anymore,” said Meyiya Coleman who worked with Reed at Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE).
“Caleb was really trying to change the way we value and love black lives and young people of color,” said Maria Degillo of VOYCE.
Coleman and Degillo will be joined by members of VOYCE and Caleb Reeds’ parents and sister for a balloon launch at Mather High School to honor Caleb’s life Tuesday, ABC7 reported.
