Black Trans Woman Hayden Davis Fatally Shot in Detroit

Hayden Davis, a 28-year-old Black transgender woman, was found dead on a street in Detroit July 25, her body wrapped in a blanket. She had been shot several times, TV station WDIV reports.

Police are still seeking a suspect. Anyone with information that may lead to an arrest is asked to contact Detroit police at (313) 596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at (800) SPEAKUP.

Davis was active on social media and was interested in fashion, the Kardashian family, and cosmetics, Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents reports.

Activists are speaking out. "At 28, Hayden Davis had a beautiful life in front of her," Tori Cooper, director of community engagement for the Human Rights Campaign's Transgender Justice Initiative, said in a press release. "Now, she's been taken from us in a horrible act of violence. Every day across our country, we are faced with the reality of violence against our community, particularly against Black and brown transgender women. Violence is one of the horrific results of anti-transgender stigma and ugly rhetoric. Every person has a responsibility to stop the spread of anti-transgender stigma -- to stand up for the respect and dignity of every human being. We demand more to protect transgender lives. The violence must end."

"Unfortunately, I can confirm that another trans woman of color was murdered in Detroit, and it's an ongoing pandemic that I'm always fighting," added Julisa Abad, victim advocate for the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office and director of transgender outreach and advocacy for Fair Michigan. "I'm fighting to get justice for my fallen sisters and their family members. At this time, there's no information that I am able to share as a victim advocate. What I will say is that Detroit has made monumental changes when it comes to community coming forward and interacting with police. And I asked during this time that we continue to keep those lines of communication open to get our victim justice."

"Our hearts are with Hayden's loved ones during this immensely difficult time," said a statement from Mia Reid, a volunteer with the Michigan chapter of Moms Demand Action. "There is an epidemic of hate-fueled gun violence plaguing our nation, and Hayden's death is yet another painful reminder of the impact of this violence on Black transgender women and the transgender community as a whole. We must make our voices heard and demand stronger, more effective gun safety measures from our leaders."