WashPo | He was training as a violence interrupter. And then he was fatally shot.
Clarence Thomas (photo courtesy of the family)
“For weeks, all Clarence Venable could talk about was his new job. After his own brushes with the law, the 40-year-old was elated to begin training last month to be a violence interrupter, tasked with reducing the rising level of homicides in Southeast Washington.
Before he could interrupt that violence, however, it overtook him instead.
On Friday afternoon, Venable was leaving a training session when he was fatally shot by a gunman who then fled the scene. Police said Saturday that they do not have a suspect.
Among the co-workers who heard the gunshots and ran to his aid was the mother of three of his children.
“He was just lying on the ground,” said Donika Hardy, 37, who said she heard three gunshots. “All I could do was stand there and look at him.”
The killing was a cruel end for a man who was trying to start over by helping his community.”