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Kent Carter, the Vice President of the NAACP in Arlington, Virginia, was fatally shot while vacationing in Turks & Caicos on Sunday, October 2, the NAACP confirmed in a statement.
Carter was reportedly celebrating his 40th birthday with his girlfriend when he was shot and killed in a vehicle returning from an excursion in the Turks & Caicos, CNN reported. Carter's girlfriend was unharmed during the attack.
As per the outlet, two people were killed and three others were left injured in what authorities believe to be a targeted attack on the vehicle by a gang reportedly known to have committed atrocities without any regard for innocent lives. The vehicle also included other tourists and local business associates.
CNN reported a statement from Chief of Police Trevor Botting, who alleged that the attack was driven by revenge and retribution. He believed the incident was a drug-related crime committed by a gang violently territorial about protecting their turf.
In a Twitter post, the NAACP mourned the death of Kent Carter, who worked as a military police officer in the army. The statement read:
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Kent Carter—a father, a veteran, and the Vice President of the NAACP’s Arlington branch. This news is painful for our NAACP family. We are sending condolences to his loved ones and are thinking of them during this difficult time."
Police are yet to apprehend the criminals responsible for the attack.
Army veteran and NAACP Arlington leader Kent Carter was the dad of a 14-year-old
Arlington NAACP's President, Julius Spain, told CNN that Carter reportedly worked as a real estate broker in Arlington after retiring as a civilian special agent at several federal agencies. Spain characterized his friend as an individual highly regarded in the community.
Spain said that as the first Vice President of their Arlington branch, Carter was responsible for the criminal justice committee, which worked in tandem with other public officials on crucial reforms and civil rights issues.
The president of Arlington NAACP added that the death of Kent Carter has shaken the community.
In a statement to CNN, he said:
“He’s going to be dearly missed. You can’t just replace a person like that. He was like my little brother, I miss him.”
The NAACP said that Kent Carter was reportedly instrumental in establishing criminal justice reforms that ensured police accountability in Arlington. The NAACP condoled the death of Carter, who they described as “one of the youngest upcoming leaders in our association.”
In a statement, they added:
“He was chairman of the criminal justice committee where he was instrumental in advocating as a member of the country’s police practices working group that established a police accountability review board with subpoena power.”
Police are yet to identify the number of people involved in the shooting. However, authorities have confirmed that the attack was carried out by armed gang members driving a vehicle.
Carter is also survived by his 14-year-old daughter. A GoFundMe was launched by Carter's friends and colleagues to support her in her future endeavors.
