Edward Crawford, an activist known for throwing a tear gas canister back at police officers in a viral photo during the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Missouri was found dead on Thursday, May 4, from what police officers are describing as a self-inflicted gun wound. Crawford had participated in the protests that followed the death of Michael Brown at the hand of Officer Darren Wilson. According to the St. Louis Police Department, the 27-year-old shot himself in the head after talking with two women about "personal matters." Crawford's father disputes the claims, telling the St. Louis Post Dispatch that his son was in good spirits when he saw him two days prior, and believes that the shooting was accidental. Ferguson police are "being hush hush" about his son's death, he said.

The Root reported that Crawford's passing is the latest in an unusual trend of Ferguson-affiliated protestors turning up dead in vehicles. Deandre Joshua, 20, was the first to be found shot in a parked vehicle in 2014. Deandre's body was found in the same apartment complex where Michael Brown lived, and the case remains an open homicide investigation. His grandmother told USA Today that she has little hope in the police investigating his case. "The police don't care," she said, "He's black."

Additionally, Darren Seals, an vocal activist who spoke about the social issues in Ferguson and the St. Louis community, was found dead on September 6, 2016 from a gunshot wound inside of a vehicle, which was also set on fire. The 26-year-old had previously joined local anti-gun violence activists and dedicated his life to serving the community. According to the St. Louis County Police Department, his death was ruled as a homicide, yet his murder remains unsolved.

Related: How Michael Brown's Death Awakened A Nation to Police Brutality

Check this out: