Amia Tyrae, a black transgender woman, was reportedly found dead in a motel room in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, early Monday.
Tyrae’s body was found with multiple gunshot wounds at the Shades Motel around 1:15 a.m. Monday, according to local news outlet WBRZ, which misgendered Tyrae and used her dead name throughout its report. The 28-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, the outlet said, citing local authorities.
The Baton Rouge Police Department is investigating her death, for which they currently have no suspects. Tyrae’s autopsy is scheduled for next week. The police department did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
Tyrae is the seventh known transgender person killed in 2018, according to LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD. Of those, she is the fifth trans woman of color.
Violence against the trans community reached an all-time high last year, according to a November 2017 report from LGBTQ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. At least 25 transgender people were killed last year; of those, 84 percent were people of color, 80 percent were trans women and more than 75 percent were under the age of 35. A majority of those killed were victims of gun violence.
NeVaa White, a friend of Tyrae’s, told Mic that Tyrae had lived her life as an openly trans woman since 2009. White said Tyrae was bullied and “didn’t have an easy life.” She also said she was a wonderful friend.
“She made family with her peers in the LGBT community of Baton Rouge,” White said. “Our trans lives matter. We are living, loving people.”
Tyrae was memorialized on social media, including by author Juno Dawson and the HRC.