Early Tuesday in Old Town, a man who spent his nights trying to keep others out of harm’s way was killed in the kind of violence he had worked to prevent. Javanti Smith, 40, was shot and killed in the neighborhood he had been serving through anti-violence outreach, leaving family members, colleagues and neighbors stunned. Relatives said he was rebuilding his life after earlier run-ins with the law, and that his four children were at the center of his effort to turn things around.
Chicago police said the shooting happened around 2:10 a.m. in the 400 block of West Evergreen Avenue near Sedgwick, where officers found Smith with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital and later pronounced dead, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Area detectives are investigating the killing, and authorities have not released a motive or announced any suspects.
His brother, Jason Smith, said Javanti had served time on drug possession charges before committing himself to outreach work and mentoring young people. "I just hate that my mother's baby boy is gone so early, man," Jason told ABC7 Chicago. Colleagues at No Kids Die in the Chi said he "tried his best to help keep violence down and peace in his community," and a family GoFundMe had raised more than $1,300 to help with expenses.
Remembered For Outreach
Friends and fellow volunteers said Smith's outreach work with groups focused on mentorship and conflict de-escalation on the Near North Side was what defined him in recent years. The city’s public Violence Reduction Dashboard highlights how outreach organizations and "violence interrupter" programs play a central role in prevention strategies, offering context for the kind of work Smith was doing, according to the City of Chicago Violence Reduction Dashboard.
Police Ask For Witnesses To Come Forward
Police said no arrests have been made and asked anyone with information to contact Area Central detectives. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and speaking with witnesses as they try to piece together what happened, per reporting by the Chicago Sun-Times. Family members said they are hoping witnesses will step forward and that the case will ultimately bring accountability.
Those who knew Smith said they will remember his fashion sense, his energy and the positive influence he tried to have on younger people, sentiments his family repeated as they mourned, according to ABC7 Chicago. A memorial or funeral plan has not yet been publicly announced. The GoFundMe remains open to support his children as the investigation continues.
