Post submitted by former HRC Digital Media Manager Helen Parshall

This post was updated on May 1, 2018.

HRC was saddened to learn of the death of Sasha Wall, a transgender woman of color fatally shot Sunday morning in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

Transgender advocate Monica Roberts writes that Wall was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and slumped over the steering wheel of her still-running car.

Local media reported that investigators have “a very strong” lead in the killing of Wall. The FBI is assisting with local investigations, and are analyzing phone records and collecting DNA evidence. While no arrests have been made, police believe that Wall likely knew her killer, according to WSOC-TV, which sadly misgendered her in its article.

Donovan Dunlap, a friend of Wall’s, expressed condolences on Facebook, writing, “Sasha Wall you had me always taking photo of you, you stayed ready for the camera. I will miss you my beautiful sister. I cannot sleep, I hope they find who did this.”

Wall, 29, is the eighth known transgender person who has been a victim of homicide this year.

Since 2013, HRC has tracked 113 incidents of fatal violence against transgender and non-binary people. Of these, 64 have been victims of gun violence. In 2017, 16 out of the 28 deaths were the result of gun violence.

Last year, the 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, and the epidemic of violence against transgender people, visit hrc.org/Transgender.