Post submitted by Brian McBride, former HRC Digital Strategist

HRC is saddened to learn the loss of Celine Walker, who was fatally shot in a hotel room in Jacksonville, Florida.

Transgender advocate Monica Roberts writes on her TransGriot blog that the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office was called to the location after Walker’s body was discovered at a local hotel on Sunday evening.

Sadly, Roberts also reports that police misgendered Walker because they claim to not refer to victims as transgender. As a result, Walker was not identified as trans until several days after her death was reported. A friend of Walker’s also made a plea on Facebook for media and police to stop misgendering transgender victims.

Investigators are still looking for a suspect in Walker’s death and urge any witnesses to call Crimestopper at 866-845-TIPS (8477) with any information.

Walker, 36, is now the fourth known transgender homicide victim reported this year.

HRC Foundation and the Trans People of Color Coalition released a report documenting the senseless acts of violence that made 2017 the deadliest year on record for transgender people, particularly for trans women of color.

To learn more about HRC’s transgender justice work, visit hrc.org/Transgender.

*Photo credit from Naomi Michaels’ Facebook page.