Victor Saunders, the City of Rochester’s leader in violence prevention and a key figure in creating the Office of Violence Prevention, has passed away.
Mayor Malik Evans announced the news Friday, calling Saunders “one of my closest advisors.” During his time with the city, Saunders played a major role in expanding the Pathways to Peace Program, which offers young people nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts. He also helped launch the Rochester Peace Collective, a support initiative for families grieving the loss of loved ones to violence.
In a statement, the mayor said:
“Our community has lost a committed public servant who dedicated his life to the cause of peace and community uplift. He lived his life modeling the words of the great hymn, ‘May the Works I’ve Done Speak for Me.’ Victor has done great works, and my thoughts and prayers are with his wonderful family, friends and colleagues who loved him so.”
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