Eric Washington, 37, was shot and killed on 4 July while at a block party in Compton, California. Also killed was Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, a 19-year-old aspiring nurse. Washington was a community organizer who had dedicated his life to preventing gun violence in the Los Angeles area.
A Life of Service
Washington was born and raised in Compton. He worked with community advocacy and violence prevention groups in the city and nearby Watts. At the time of his death, he was a community engagement manager for the city’s housing authority, known for going door to door in low-income housing developments to ensure residents’ needs were met. He also mentored local youth and leveraged his government connections to help violence intervention groups connect participants with job opportunities and support services.
He had previously worked as an aide for California assemblymember Mike Gipson and for the violence intervention group 2nd Call. Washington earned a master’s degree at Grambling State University in Louisiana before returning to Compton in 2019.
The Shooting and Aftermath
Washington was reportedly attempting to de-escalate a conflict involving an armed man when he was shot. Authorities have not identified a suspect in his killing. On 17 July, the Los Angeles district attorney announced that a 54-year-old man had been charged with killing Bordenave-Jenkins and injuring two others.
Former Compton councilmember Michelle Chambers said people who were at the shooting should come forward. She also criticized the city and sheriff’s department for not enforcing the fireworks ban and dispersing the unsanctioned gathering. The city of Compton did not respond to a request for comment.
Tributes and Grief
“That’s what hurts me. The acknowledgment of what’s lost,” said Washington’s mother, Tina Johnson. “All these different organizations are all tentacles of one octopus. They all need to move in order for it to work. And I feel like Eric really embodied that.”
“He tried everything possible to save Black and Brown boys in our community, especially against gun violence, and I am dismayed that what he fought against took his life,” Gipson said in a statement.
“Eric did not deserve this,” Chambers said. “It’s hard for us to come to grips with. He had such a huge prosperous life ahead of him. Even though he had reached some benchmarks of greatness, he was not done.”
Johnson said her son had booked her a trip to the Bahamas for her birthday in August. She plans to go but fears the quietness. “I’m scared of thinking about him all the time. Thinking about the fact that he’s gone. Knowing that he’ll never come back. That’s scary.”
Johnson also emphasized the need to remember Bordenave-Jenkins. “Eric is leaving a great legacy behind. She didn’t even have a chance to create one,” Johnson said.
