LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Sixty-three-year-old Theodore “Ted” Lawson, a Democrat activist, was shot and killed in Lansing on Sunday while he was going door-to-door canvassing for a local political candidate in the middle of the afternoon only a few blocks from his own home. First responders were dispatched around 3 pm to tend to Lawson but he died later at the hospital.

Lawson was the Ingham County Democrat Party’s Secretary, a member of the Ingham County’s Board of Canvassers a voting rights advocate and a worker for many local and statewide Democrat campaigns. The Democrat Party wrote on their Facebook page, “This breaks our heart, we loved you Ted Lawson and you will be missed. He cared so much for his country and community, and gave much of his time and treasure.”

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Lawson was in the 1100 block of N. Jenison Street when he was allegedly shot by a 15-year-old who is now in custody after being arrested in connection with the shooting. No motive has been released.

Over the years, Lawson worked on many campaigns for Democrats including Michigan Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin who posted on X, “So terrible to hear that Ted Lawson was killed over the weekend in Lansing while doing what he has done for so many candidates, including myself: knocking doors and getting out the vote.”

Lawson was knocking on doors in support of Lansing City Council at-large candidate Trini Lopez Pehlivanoglu when he was shot. As of press time, Pehlivanoglu had not made a statement about the death of Lawson.

The Ingham County Democratic Party is unsure how the shooting will impact campaigning ahead of the election season. Brian Jackson, Chair of the Ingham County Democratic Party, spoke to WKAR and said, “We will certainly wait for the facts to come out and determine what is the best course of action going forward.” The party, undoubtedly, will continue to advocate for more gun legislation and Jackson said about what is to come, “There is no playbook. We’re working and communicating with each other to help determine what feels right, and really supporting the legacy of what Ted would want us to do. We need to stop this madness.”

72-year old Dudley Pete, who lives in the neighborhood where the shooting took place, is concerned about his own safety now. Pete, who talked with Lansing City Pulse, said he’s lived in his home since 1975 and told them, “It’s kind of devastating, to be honest with you. It was right in the neighborhood, somebody important, and we don’t even know why. We’re all concerned.”

Neighbors describe their community as “mixed” and “quiet” – but many are now concerned about their own safety and have discussed making sure their security cameras are in working order and recording at all times. While interviewing some other neighbors, Lansing City Pulse reported that they said there were three individuals who were possibly involved with the shooting. “This is supposed to be a peaceful neighborhood, but we’re all very sad right now,” Pete said. He added, “The people that live here are mostly older people, too. It’s not really a young generation. Whoever these guys were, I don’t really think they’re neighborhood kids. If they are, they’re somebody who just recently came to this neighborhood.”

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According to Neighborhood Scout, Michigan has eight out of 50 of the most dangerous cities in the nation and Lansing is ranked #16 on the list. Their website says that the violent crime rate in Lansing is 15.7 people per 1,000 residents and the chance of being a victim is 1 in 63.

This is Lansing’s 9th homicide victim of 2023. In August, the mayor of Lansing, Andy Schor, had a news conference at police headquarters about gun violence saying it was “out of control.” He talked about his gun violent task force and said, “We are going to increase our steps with intervention” and discussed the “Advance Peace” initiative which he said is “working” in turning kids around who have started out “the wrong way” but admitted that more needed to be done.