Ja’leyah-Jamar
13 Sep 2019
Kansas City (USA)
Shot
TDoR list ref: tgeu/13-Sep-2019/Ja'leyah Jamar
Ja’leyah-Jamar was shot. Police have released a photo of a suspect being sought in connection with their murder.
The 19th reported murder of a transgender American this year took place Friday in Kansas City, Kan., according to local activists.
Kansas City police and local media have identified the victim, who was shot to death, as a 20-something man and have not released a name, but friends, relatives, and activists have posted on social media that she was a trans woman named Ja’leyah-Jamar.
Adriana Sanders, the victim’s cousin, posted the following on Facebook: “Ja’leyah-Jamar didn’t ask for this life... No one can control WHO they love God made us to live and love and to grow... It’s not our fault as a Transgender woman or a homosexual man to want to live a normal life...wanting to be in love have a family build your own legacy and because a Man could not accept who [they] [were] as [themself] and individual he felt the need to take my cousin’s life.”
“Another Black trans woman was killed in Kansas City this weekend!” activist Merrique Jenson posted on Facebook. “Kansas City is one of the epicenters of violence towards trans women of color, particularly Black trans women, in this country! I learned of the information yesterday and have checked in with some of the trans women who knew her directly. While she is still being misgendered and misidentified by most KC media outlets, community advocates have already begun to share updates as we learn more. I encourage agencies with social, political and financial power to do something about this.” Trans woman Brooklyn Lindsey was murdered across the state line in Kansas City, Mo., in June.
Of the 19 transgender Americans reported murdered this year, 18 have been black women, including Ja’leyah-Jamar.
Police have released a photo of a man being sought in connection with the Friday murder, along with two photos of his car, The Kansas City Star reports.
Subsequently relatives stated that Jamar was a gender nonconforming gay man rather than a trans woman. We obviously can't ask Ja'leyah, but it is not unusual for friends and family to have different perceptions of the gender of an individual.
https://www.out.com/transgender/2019/9/17/jaleyah-jamar-19th-trans-person-killed-2019
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2019/09/police-released-photos-man-suspected-killing-trans-woman/
https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/09/17/trans-jaleyah-jamar-kansas-city-killed-violence-police/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLqdECxgvfQ
https://www.facebook.com/100009503907630/videos/2404861853173921/