Kody Townsend is accused of killing 2nd Call employee Reginald Foreman as prosecutors declined to charge his father.
LOS ANGELES, CA — The son of prominent gang interventionist Clifford “Skipp” Townsend has been charged with murder in the August shooting death of a 2nd Call employee in South Los Angeles, while prosecutors declined to file charges against the elder Townsend following his arrest earlier in the week.
Kody Townsend, 19, was charged with one count of murder, one felony count of conspiracy to commit a crime and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors accuse him of killing 51-year-old Reginald Foreman on Aug. 6 while Foreman was working with two other employees of 2nd Call, a restorative justice and gang prevention organization led by Skipp Townsend. An arrest warrant has been issued for Kody Townsend, and his arraignment will be scheduled after he is taken into custody.
Prosecutors allege Kody Townsend approached Foreman and the other workers at about 3:13 p.m. and shot Foreman with an AR-style rifle. The district attorney’s office described the killing as gang-motivated and alleged Townsend killed Foreman by lying in wait. Prosecutors also allege Townsend was an active participant in a criminal street gang and that the killing was committed to further the gang’s activities. The allegations have not been proven in court, and Townsend is presumed innocent unless convicted.
Foreman was a former gang member who had become involved in community work through 2nd Call. He was working on a cleanup project in the Hyde Park area near Crenshaw Boulevard when he was killed. Prosecutors identified Foreman as a former member of the Rollin’ 111s Crips and Kody Townsend as a member of the Rollin’ 100s Neighborhood Crips, which authorities described as rival groups.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said Foreman was carrying out his duties with 2nd Call when he was killed. “Gang violence doesn’t just claim lives; it robs entire communities of their sense of security and safety,” Hochman said in announcing the charges. The district attorney said his office’s Gang Homicide Division is prosecuting the case.
Jeremiah James Abdelhameed, 25, was also charged in connection with Foreman’s death. He faces one felony count of accessory after the fact. Prosecutors allege Abdelhameed met with Kody Townsend after the shooting and helped him avoid capture. Abdelhameed was in custody when the charges were announced and was scheduled for arraignment at the Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.
The charges followed a high-profile law enforcement operation involving Skipp Townsend, the longtime executive director of 2nd Call. Los Angeles police detectives and federal agents arrested the 62-year-old interventionist Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. Authorities also arrested several other people during the investigation and searched 2nd Call offices in South Los Angeles. By Friday, however, prosecutors had declined to file a criminal complaint against Skipp Townsend.
Skipp Townsend has spent more than two decades working in violence prevention after leaving gang life. Through 2nd Call, he has worked to mediate gang disputes and provide services and alternatives for people considered at high risk of violence or returning from incarceration. His arrest drew concern from colleagues and others in Los Angeles’ gang-intervention community, where he has worked with residents, city officials and law enforcement agencies.
Skipp Townsend’s attorney said after prosecutors declined to charge him that Townsend was pleased with the decision and intended to return to his violence-prevention work. The Los Angeles Police Department has said the broader case remains an active investigation. Prosecutors have not accused Skipp Townsend of participating in his son’s alleged killing in the criminal case filed Friday.
If convicted as charged, Kody Townsend faces life in prison, according to the district attorney’s office. Abdelhameed faces up to seven years. The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division continues to investigate the case, while authorities are seeking Kody Townsend on the outstanding arrest warrant.
Author note: Last updated November 7, 2026.