Mayor Kevin Ward of Hyattsville, a city near Washington, DC, was found dead at the age of 44 of an apparent suicide.
United States Park Police officers found his body in Fort Marcy, a park in McLean, Virginia.
“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,” a message posted on the official website for the city of Hyattsville announced 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.”
Ward’s political career started when he served as city council president in Hyattsville, located just north of the border between Maryland and the District of Columbia. He became mayor at the end of 2020 when the incumbent -Mayor Candace Hollingsworth, stepped down. Ward then won the mayoral election in May 2021.
Ward leaves behind a husband and two sons.
