Diamond Rice, a 33-year-old youth advocate and assistant director at Hamilton County’s Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), was fatally shot on the night of Sunday, February 1, 2026, in Cincinnati’s Walnut Hills neighborhood. Officers responded to a report of a shooting on May Street near Burbank Avenue, where they found Rice suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite efforts by first responders, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to court records and police reports, the shooting followed a domestic dispute between Rice and another woman, identified as Jasmine Blake. The two had reportedly been in a romantic relationship, and the altercation escalated into violence. Blake initially claimed self-defense, but investigators found no evidence of a weapon or any immediate threat posed by Rice at the time of the shooting.
Blake, 31, was arrested and charged with murder shortly after the incident. She remains in custody as the legal process unfolds. The case has drawn significant attention in Cincinnati, not only because of the tragic loss of life but also due to Rice’s prominent role in youth advocacy and community leadership.
Diamond Rice’s journey was one of resilience and transformation. Raised in Baltimore, she faced challenges in her youth but found direction through the Youth Advocate Programs. Her experience as a participant in YAP inspired her to dedicate her life to helping others. She moved to Cincinnati to pursue a degree in social work and rose to become the assistant director of the local YAP chapter in Hamilton County.
Her colleagues and community members remember her as a passionate, generous, and determined leader who used her own story to inspire and uplift others. She was known for her optimism and her ability to connect with at-risk youth, often sharing her personal experiences to advocate for change and support. Her death has left a profound void in the organization and among the many lives she touched.
As the investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of a woman who had turned her life around and was actively working to do the same for others. Vigils and tributes have been held in her honor, with many calling for justice and remembering her as a beacon of hope and strength. Diamond Rice’s legacy lives on in the countless young people she mentored and the community she helped build.
