Post submitted by Brian McBride, former HRC Digital Strategist

HRC mourns the tragic loss of Brandi Seals, a 26-year-old Black transgender woman who was found shot to death in Houston, Texas.

Transgender rights advocate and blogger Monica Roberts reports that on Wednesday morning, Seals’ was found in front of a home under construction. Witnesses were reported hearing several gunshots before her body was discovered.

Police are still investigating but so far have turned up no leads on a suspect. Multiple media outlets and law enforcement have misgendered Seals.

Seals’ family described her as a “loving person” and a “beautiful person.”

Seals is now the 28th known trans person killed in the U.S. this year.

Her death comes after the HRC Foundation and the Trans People of Color Coalition released a report documenting the often deadly violence faced by transgender people -- and particularly trans women of color -- and exploring factors that have made 2017 the deadliest on record for the transgender community.

To learn more about HRC’s transgender justice work, and the epidemic of violence against transgender people, visit hrc.org/Transgender.