Transgender Woman, Muhlaysia Booker, Shot To Death Weeks After Viral Video Shows Her Being Beaten
The transgender woman that was seen beaten on a viral video last month was shot and killed over the weekend.
Muhlaysia Booker, 23, was found dead, faced down on a Dallas street Saturday morning.
There weren’t any immediate connections between her death and the April assault that went viral, which resulted in one arrest, according to Dallas police.
There are no lead suspects in her murder, either, and Assistant Dallas Police Chief Avery Moore told the Dallas Morning News that there wasn’t enough evidence yet to say whether her death could be considered a hate crime.
Booker was the victim of a possible hate crime in April, when a group of men pushed her to the ground and started punching and kicking her as she lay curled up in a fetal position.
A three-minute video of the parking-lot assault went viral, and she told police after the attack that her assailants shouted homophobic slurs.
WARNING (Sensitive, Graphic video):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19MTtKmTiLE
One man, Edward Thomas, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. He made bond and was released from jail, according to the Dallas Morning News, and police hadn’t yet determined whether the attack was a hate crime.
Last year, at least 26 transgender people were killed in America, according to the Human Rights Watch. Booker is the fourth black transgender woman, at least, killed in 2019.
After the attack, she spoke at a press conference to bring awareness to hate crimes.
Mike Rawlings, the mayor of Dallas, made a statement Sunday on social media regarding Booker’s death:
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the murder of Muhlaysia Booker. I call on anyone with information on this homicide to please contact the Dallas Police Department.
Our hearts are with Muhlaysia Booker’s loved ones. May she rest in peace. #JusticeForMuhlaysia
