Brooklyn Lindsey has become the 11th trans woman to suffer a violent death this year.
Lindsey's body was found on the porch of an abandoned Kansas City home on June 25th. According to a report from
The Kansas City Star, neighbors heard an argument and multiple gunshots early in the morning. Authorities arrived to the crime scene at approximately 6:30 a.m. and found Lindsey's body at the abandoned home.
Police reportedly said that the victim's face showed trauma. However, law enforcement have yet to publicly state a cause of death. At this time, the New York Daily News reports that local authorities are investigating Lindsey's death as a homicide and are considering examining the shooting as a hate crime.
Today Kansas City Police identified Brooklyn Lindsey as the person killed at Independence and Spruce. pic.twitter.com/mrZsrnSsA5
— Nathan Vickers (@nathanvickers) June 26, 2019
The Human Rights Campaign immediately responded to Lindsey's death by highlighting the trend in violence against trans women. Human Rights Campaign National Press Secretary Sarah McBride told KMBC, "This is a crisis that has been plaguing the transgender community for far too many years." McBride continued, "When transgender people, especially black transgender women, are at risk from being fired from their jobs, refused credible services, denied stable housing simply because of their gender identity, they are more at risk to be in circumstances where they may face violence."
Violence against Black trans women must stop. Rest in power, Brooklyn Lindsey. https://t.co/wRo8ECBQLZ
— GLAAD (@glaad) June 26, 2019
Anti-Violence Project Executive Director Beverly Tillery echoed McBride's statements. Tillery said, "For years trans women of color in particular are disproportionately impacted by hate violence." Tillery also noted that "this is definitely an ongoing trend we are seeing.”
Korea Kelly of the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project spoke to the person Lindsey was. Kelly said, "Brooklyn was a loving person. She loved to do hair." Kelly added, "I was torn, torn because another black girl has died, and it hit so close to home in Kansas City."
Brooklyn Lindsey was just 32 years old at the time of her death.