Derricka Banner, a black transwoman, was fatally shot this week in Charlotte, NC — making her the the 20th transgender person killed in 2017 alone.
The chilling killing occurred only days before Charlotte was to hold its Transgender Pride events this weekend.
Police have already arrested a Montavious Sanchez Berry for the killing. He has been charged with murder.
According to the Charlotte Observer, Charlotte police say they are communicating with the FBI about the shooting death. North Carolina’s hate crime statute, however, does not include sexual orientation or gender identity.
“There has been no information or evidence gathered at this point of the investigation to indicate that Derrick Lee Banner was killed because of gender identity,” police spokesman Robert Tufano said Thursday.
According to TransGriot, Banner is the now 16th black trans person and the 15th black trans woman who murdered in 2017.
“We have had one black trans masculine person in Kashmire Redd, one Native American transwoman in Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow, one Latina in Josie Berrios, and one White trans woman in Gwynevere River Song also lost due to anti-trans violence in 2017,” the blog writes.
Our condolences to Banner’s family, friends and the trans community during this time.