Pueblo mother says her son was a former gang member in the process of changing his life before he was killed Sunday

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)- A Pueblo mother is preparing to bury her son while police continue the search for his killer.

"It's like a nightmare.It's like it's not real. My nerves are shot. I can't eat, I can't sleep," said Grace Smith, Daniel Smiths mother.

On New Years Eve, Grace Smith received the call that her son, 40-year-old Daniel Smith had been shot and killed on E. 14th street in Pueblo. Police are now looking for the person responsible but she believes her son's former gang ties may have played a role in his death.

"The thing is that there's consequences for getting in gangs and there's consequences for getting out of gangs," said Mark Salazar, former gang member/ founder of the non-profit Hardknox Gang Prevention.

Smith's mother said  he joined the "Westside Chicos"  at the age of 11 or 12. She added that he's served at least 10 years in prison and even made headlines in 2006 after escaping the Pueblo County Jail using a rope made of bed sheets.

"They don't care if you get locked up. They don't care what happens to you. Your mom does. Your father does...then he realized that they're not his friends," said Grace Smith.

After Daniel was released from prison a few years back, he realized that he was done with that life.A point driven home when his own son was violently killed.

"His son was not active, but he was affiliated, like guilty by association," said Salazar.

Salazar,  a former gang member and the founder of the non-profit Hardknox Gang Prevention works daily to help at-risk youth who have found themselves tangled up in gang culture. 

He said Daniel worked alongside him for the last year and  was in the process of establishing his own non-profit-- DH-23-- named in honor of his son .

"He did classes to be like a gang specialist," said Grace Smith.

As she's preparing to bury her son she's hanging on to the good times,but also mourning the life he could of had, helping kids change their own lives.

"He was just an awesome son, i'm going to miss him," said Grace Smith 

Pueblo Police told KRDO13 it's still too early in their investigation to say whether smith's death had something to do with gang violence or not.

If you have any information about what took place here early Sunday morning Dec.31 reach out to the Pueblo Police Department.