D.C.'s Executive Director of the Office of Neighborhood and Safety Engagement Linda Harllee Harper died at age 58, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Friday.
Harper was recently appointed to that role in Feb. 2023. Prior to that she served as the Director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
"Our hearts are broken by the loss Linda Harllee Harper," tweeted Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Harper was born and raised in the District and has a teenage son. When she was appointed in the role, Bowser said, “Director Harllee Harper is an excellent leader, with deep ties to the community, and she knows what it takes to get people on a better path forward."
“Linda was the most beautiful person, and I am just shocked and saddened. She was a longtime and true public servant, committed to her core to saving lives. She shined around young people and all those who need a second chance in life. She was a natural and skilled leader in the fields of juvenile justice and violence prevention, and she commanded every room she walked into with her smile, poise, and stature. My heart goes out to her friends, family, colleagues, and all those she shaped and supported," Councilmember Charles Allen said in statement.