Philadelphia's first openly gay deputy sheriff. Dante Austin, was found dead at the age of 27.

On Thursday, Austin was at a gathering with friends in LOVE Park for the raising of a rainbow flag to celebrate Gay Pride Month. Hours later, tragedy set in.

Early Friday morning, Austin was found dead at his desk from what appears to be a suicide by gunshot, the sheriff said.

When he was initially hired in 2013, he received the highest score on the deputy sheriff's exam.

In May of 2017, Austin became the LGBT liaison and was eventually promoted to sergeant. His death has caused shock and devastation within the LGBTQA community because of upcoming Pride month festivities this weekend.





On Friday, Philadelphia's City Hall lowered their rainbow flag to half-staff to honor his life. The William Way LGBT Community Center hosted a gathering for members of the community to come together for collective healing and to memorialize Austin and his legacy.

“Dante worked tirelessly, always, to lift up the most marginalized among us, to secure safety and protection for the most vulnerable, and to serve his community with unparalleled dedication and a warmth and generosity that moved so many of us,” said the Mayor’s Commission on LGBT Affairs.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.