Posted on 06/07/2019 9:49:29 AM PDT by Red Badger
Dante Austin was a deputy with the Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office and was an LGBTQ activist. Austin was found dead at his desk on June 7. He was 27 years old.
The tragic news of Austin’s passing was broken by fellow LGBTQ activist and Pennsylvania State Rep, Brian Sims. Sims tweeted on the morning of June 7, “Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community lost one of our best & brightest last night! Dante Austin was one of the strongest & kindest champions for equality I’ve ever met. He lifted up everyone he touched. He supported everyone who needed him. He cared deeply & loved loudly.”
The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing police sources, said that Austin’s death appeared to be a suicide. Austin was found in the sheriff’s office, located at 11 South Broad Street. The Inquirer report said that Austin’s body was found at around 6:45 a.m.
Rest In Peace, Dante Austin.
This is was very unexpected and devastating. But I hope community will remember you for your compassion and dedication.
Gone too soon, I will remember when you first came to the scene a few years ago.https://t.co/aego6p1CsO
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) June 7, 2019
According to his LinkedIn account, Austin joined the sheriff’s office in November 2013 and in the summer of 2016, he was promoted to the department’s LGBT Liaison. Prior to his time in the sheriff’s office, Austin served six years in the U.S. Army as a military intelligence systems maintainer and integrator. In addition, Austin was also an instructor in cultural diversity at the Penn State Justice and Safety Institute between August 2014 and July 2016.
Austin had studied electronic technology at Cochise College, justice administration at Rosemount College and was in the process of studying for a qualification in public administration at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.
Speaking to the Inquirer, the executive director of the William Way LGBT Community Center, Chris Bartlett, said of Austin, “Dante was a big-hearted, community-oriented, dedicated leader who was a pioneer in bringing LGBT sensitivity to the Sheriff’s Office. He’s part of a generation of young LGBT leaders of color who are taking the reins from my generation. He’s an irreplaceable loss. We’ll aim to have a Pride Weekend that is worthy of his legacy, but it will be difficult.” Bartlett also mentioned that a memorial to Austin will be held at 3 p.m. on June 7.
Suicide is a tragedy. I hope no one takes pleasure from a lost soul going into eternity.
He was already spiritually dead long before he checked himself out.
The good news is there’s one less recruiter for sodomites running loose.
It is my understanding that suicide is the number one cause of death among homosexuals and transgenders.
They aren't "gay" at all. They are very unhappy and live unfulfilled lives.
Maybe it’s like psychiatry and Military Intelligence actually attracts the weirdos.
CC
Omg..YES...the BIG GAY CREEP!!
Austin said in the same interview that he came out in the 12th grade, just after he broke up with his then-girlfriend. Austin’s sister is bisexual and the pair came out to their parents together
The parent’s must have been thrilled to hear that.
Thank you.
You’s think they’d find a cure for that a by now.
Automatically thought, “No grandchildren.”................
My next door neighbor’s two adult children are:
1. Male - gay, no children.
2. Female - hippy, no children in THIS world type.
I feel really sorry for them..................
Will the LGBTQ community have BBQ at the wake?
KFC?..................
Shirley, Umus B kitten !
Appalled at the comments.
It’s only sad for FReepers when a young troubled heterosexual person commits suicide? Only the orientation prevents FReepers from being decent?
Why don’t some you face it: you don’t want a free republic; you want an oligarchy following your lifestyle choices.
It’s not that he was gay, that’s the problem, but to me when I see that someone is an LGBTQ activist, that says to me they are trying to destroy our society.
I see your point. But still, people should be free to be activists who disagree with us. That is kind of the point. And basically the threaders were expressing the opinion that it is good their political enemy is DEAD. This emotion is expressed all the time by trump haters. I find this primitive and not acceptable in the populace who could even handle a free country.
You have to be open minded enough to even HAVE or KEEP a free republic. Franklin was spot on.
I see what you did there......................
Homos are mentally ill and unstable. Many kill themselves. Too bad they don’t do it before “recruiting.
Not if they are in the Police department. Keep that stuff out of the workplace.
In so far as humanly possible, such organizations should be "non-political". At any rate the staff should avoid public activism.
Homsexuality largely is a mental disorder, those that tell you otherwise are LYING to you...
You can keep arguing lack of “equality” is why they kill themselves, but the reality is they are mentally ill individuals, who’s illness manifests itself through sexual activity.
CW II casualty. Pretty ballsy to do it in a police station, but I guess they’d know best about faking suicides.
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