Remembering Our Dead

Dream Johnson

Dream was found with gunshot wounds by police officers. She died in hospital.

D.C. police are seeking help from the public in their investigation into the murder of a transgender woman who they say was shot to death at about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 5, on the 2000 block of Benning Road, N.E.

But the police announcement of the fatal shooting and a police report obtained by the Washington Blade do not identify the victim, 28-year-old [deadname] ‘Dream’ Johnson of Northeast D.C., as transgender. And the police report says the shooting is not currently listed as a suspected hate crime.

It was local transgender activists and one of Johnson’s family members, her aunt, who confirmed she was transgender and said information they obtained indicates the killing could have been a hate crime.

“On Saturday, July 5, at approximately 12:51 a.m., Sixth District officers were flagged down in the 2000 block of Benning Road, Northeast, for an unconscious female,” a July 5 D.C. police statement says. “Upon arrival, officers located an adult female victim suffering from gunshot wounds,” it says.

“D.C. Fire and EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital where after all lifesaving efforts failed and the victim was pronounced dead,” the statement says.

A separate police flyer with a photo of Johnson announces an award of $25,000 was being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder.

https://shinemycrown.com/tragic-losses-three-black-trans-women-killed-in-a-span-of-just-weeks-amid-rising-violence/

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/07/a-man-shot-a-trans-woman-in-the-street-her-family-thinks-its-a-hate/

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2025/07/09/dc-police-seek-public-help-murder-dream-johnson/

https://www.advocate.com/crime/dream-johnson-transgender-woman-killed

https://www.sentidog.com/2025/07/11/un-hombre-disparo-a-una-mujer-trans-muerta-en-la-calle-su-familia-piensa-que-es-un-crimen-de-odio/

https://www.metroweekly.com/2025/07/trans-woman-fatally-shot-dc/

https://www.edgemedianetwork.com/story/340264

https://gomag.com/article/dream-johnson-a-black-trans-woman-was-killed-in-washington-dc/

https://www.sentidog.com/black-trans-woman-murdered/

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/28-year-old-transgender-woman-killed-northeast-dc

Report added: 14 Jul 2025. Last updated: 12 Nov 2025

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