(CNN) -- Ronnie Smith believed in three things: teaching, Libya and Jesus Christ. The 33-year-old educator from Austin, Texas, was gunned down Thursday as he went on a morning jog outside his home in the Libyan city of Benghazi. No one has claimed responsibility for the slaying. Libyan authorities have pledged to investigate the killing, the latest in a series of assassinations in some Libyan cities. There have been near-daily targeted killings in Benghazi and Derna, with the victims mainly security forces, activists and members of the judiciary. Smith's death is a reminder of how dangerous eastern Libya has become, awash in weapons and armed groups since the 2011 ouster and street-mob killing of dictator Moammar Gadhafi.
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Ronnie Smith was a deacon in his church in Austin, Texas
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He moved to Libya a year and a half ago and taught chemistry at International School Benghazi
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Gunmen killed the 33-year-old as he jogged outside his home in Benghazi
Lee said that @placeholder was not working as a missionary for the church in Libya but that the church does have missionary programs.
Lee said that Smith was not working as a missionary for the church in @placeholder but that the church does have missionary programs.