Sara Blackwood, a transgender woman, was murdered in Indianapolis, Indiana.
On 11 October, which marked National Coming Out Day, Sara was shot as she left work and was transported to a nearby hospital, where she passed away from her injuries.
Her death is the sixth killing of a transgender individual in the past four weeks after Aerrion Burnett, Mia Green, Michelle Michellyn Ramos Vargas, Felycya Harris and Brooklyn Deshuna.
Tori Cooper, HRC Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative, said in a statement: “This violence is heartbreaking and horrifying. It must end.
“We have already seen more trans and gender non-conforming people killed this year since we began tracking these deaths in 2013, and the numbers continue to climb, even during a pandemic.
“We must all ask ourselves what each of us is doing to work to bring this violence to an end. We are mourning Sara’s loss along with her friends and family, including her domestic partner Avery, who are all in our thoughts.
“As we take time to remember Sara, we’ll keep fighting for the lives for all trans and gender non-conforming people.”
Jimmy Johnson, a friend of Sara, told WXIN that she was a “very sweet and a very good person” and that her death was “senseless,” adding “the world at large is missing a very kind responsible person.”
So far, 33 transgender individuals have been killed this year in the United States, making 2020 the deadliest year on record for the transgender community.
If anyone has any information about Sara Blackwood’s murder, please contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at (317) 327-3811.
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