Hyattsville, Maryland, an urban city outside of Washington DC, lost its Mayor to an apparent suicide. Mayor Kevin Ward, 44, was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.Â
“It is with great sadness that we report that our beloved Hyattsville Mayor Kevin Ward passed away yesterday, January 25, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” said a post on the official website for Hyattsville on Wednesday. “Mayor Ward was a valued and trusted leader and a fierce advocate for all the people of Hyattsville. We are heartbroken at this loss and extend our deepest sympathy to his family.”
As city council president in Hyattsville, a city situated just north of the border between Maryland and the District of Columbia, Ward, a Democrat, served as the Mayor in late 2020 when then-Mayor Candace Hollingsworth stepped down. He won the official mayoral vote in May 2021.Â
According to WJLA, United States Park Police officers found Ward’s body at Fort Marcy, a park in McLean, Virginia.Â
“I am a pretty straightforward person,” Ward’s campaign website reads. “I believe in listening more than talking. But when I talk, I am not one to mince words or tell people what they want to hear. I believe in doing the work. I believe that if I can help someone, then I can change her or his life. This is why I dedicated my career to providing the best technology to education and human services, to help as many as I can.”
His husband and two sons survive Ward.
“The First Lady and I are saddened to learn of the passing of Hyattsville Mayor Kevin Ward,” tweeted Maryland’s Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. “We extend our most heartfelt condolences to the Ward family and the people of Hyattsville as they grieve this tragic loss.”
The city has not released funeral details. Community members in need of grief counseling or mental health help can call Community Crisis Services Inc. (dial 211 and press 1), or call 800-273-TALK, or contact the Affiliated Sante Group crisis support line at 301-429-2185