40-year-old Nathaniel Jackson was pronounced dead early this morning  just hours after being gunned down outside this convenience store at Augusta and Lavergne Thursday night in the Austin neighborhood.

His violent death marks  500 homicides in Chicago this year.   It’s a number we haven’t seen since 2008.

Community activist Andrew Holmes was at the scene following last night’s deadly attack, one of about 400 he says he’s responded to this year..

Holmes, like many others, praises police superintendent Gary McCarthy’s initiatives to refocus police efforts on high crime areas.  Holmes says it’s up to the community and lawmakers to work to end the violence.

Overall however the homicide rate is up about 17% from last year, a statistic that doesn’t sit well with many Chicagoans.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel office released this statement today saying in part,  “Chicago has reached an unfortunate and tragic milestone, which not only marks a needless loss of life but serves as a reminder of the damage that illegal guns and conflicts between gangs cause in our neighborhoods.”

Chicago has hit a dismal milestone. A late night shooting has marked the city’s 500th homicide for the year.

40-year-old Nathaniel Jackson was shot on the city’s West Side around 9 p.m Thursday. He was pronounced dead shortly after midnight. The victim’s family has confirmed his identity.

Chicago Police say Jackson was shot in the head while standing outside a convenience store at Augusta Boulevard and Lavergne Avenue in the Austin Neighborhood.

One relative told WGN that Jackson had recently been released from jail and was living with a friend on the West Side.

Circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear. No arrests have been made.

2008 was the last time Chicago reached 500 homicides.

The Chicago Police Dept released a statement disputing the number saying,  “The Department’s official year to date 2012 murder total for the city of Chicago currently stands at 499, with one death investigation still pending classification. “