The stepfather of a young Baltimore man whose death sparked outrage throughout the nation has passed away.

The Baltimore Sun reports sixty-year-old Richard Shipley, the stepfather of the late Freddie Gray, died on February 6. His cause of death remains unknown to the public.

After Gray died of spinal injuries while in police custody in April 2015, the city entered a state of emergency after a wave of protests and riots. Shipley urged his city to remain collected in the face of distress.

“Whoever comes to our city—a city that we love, a city that we live in—come in peace. If you are not coming in peace, please don’t come at all,” he said as riots began erupting throughout Baltimore. “Because this city needs to get back to work. The last thing that Freddie would want is to see the hardworking people of Baltimore lose their jobs and businesses because of this.”

Shipley played a crucial role in Gray’s upbringing. Family and friends paid their respects during funeral services on Monday.