Slain Chandler teen to be honored with tree

The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation, a national nonprofit dedicated to violence prevention and youth advocacy, recently announced a major symbolic action to honor a teen victim.

Daniel Sublasky, 19, according to a news release, was shot and killed in northeast Chandler in October.

In a commitment to turning trauma into hope, the release states, the foundation is immediately adding Sublasky to its “Trees for Peace” project.

The foundation’s initiative plants trees across the nation in memory of youth victims of violence, symbolizing enduring life, growth, and community resilience. A tree will be planted in memoriam for the teen in the Arizona National Forest.

Full project details, including the growing memorial list, can be found on the foundation’s website by clicking here.

The shooting, which occurred on Oct. 10, the release states, resulted in the tragic loss of a young life and has deeply impacted the community. Police are still investigating the motive and circumstances.

“The loss of this young life is a tragedy that reminds us of the profound crisis of violence facing our youth,” Daniel Chapin, founder and national director of The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation, stated in the news release. “We are adding the victim’s name to our ‘Trees for Peace’ project so that their life is remembered not just for the violence they endured, but as a perpetual symbol of hope, peace, and the resilience of their community. While we focus on remembrance, we remain unwavering in our demand for justice and accountability for those responsible.”

The foundation urges anyone with pertinent information about the shooting to immediately contact the Chandler Police Department.

The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation, formerly known as The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the epidemic of violence and advocating for the welfare of youth and community safety across the U.S.

The foundation works through three core pillars: violence prevention and training, youth advocacy and legislative action and community crisis support, the release states.

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