A young transgender woman has been killed in Dallas. NBC News reports that the 22-year-old’s death is the fourth killing of a trans woman of color since 2018 in Dallas-Fort Worth. News of her death came on the last day of the monthlong Pride celebration in the area.
According to police, Merci Mack, who was referred to by her birth name in police and media reports, was discovered in a Dallas parking lot on June 30 by a passerby. She was found unconscious with a noticeable gunshot wound. Police say there are currently no eyewitnesses who have come forward and urge the public to help in locating her killers.
Out reports that residents in the area had disclosed to police that gunshots could be heard in the area around 5 a.m. on Tuesday, but there are no 9-1-1 reports around that time. The first call to the police was at approximately 6:15 a.m., when the passerby found the young woman unresponsive. Mack was later pronounced dead at the scene.
In an e-mail to NBC News, Dallas police Sgt. Warren C. Mitchell said, “Our detectives, as with all murders, are working diligently to find the perpetrator to this horrible crime.” He added, “We continue to ask the community for their assistance.”
Mack’s death is one of at least 14 trans and nonconforming people who have been violently killed in Texas since 2016. Just last year, two women, Chynal Lindsey and Muhlaysia Booker, were found dead in Dallas. Lindsey was found in a lake and Booker was shot to death just weeks after a violent attack on her life was caught on video.
At the time, advocates asked authorities to prioritize ending the pattern of violence against the trans community. Texas has been notorious for its high cases of reported killings and assaults of trans people. Advocates say the most recent death of Merci Mack has only furthered their concerns. According to NBC News, they are now asking that a task force be assembled to address the killings.