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The murder of a 25-year-old transgender woman in Shreveport, Louisiana has sent the city’s queer community into mourning.
Make-up artist Pooh Johnson, also known professionally as, Titanizer Mua, died August 23 of multiple gunshot wounds. Police discovered her body inside her vehicle; a motive for her killing, including if Johnson’s gender identity played a role in her murder, remains unclear at this time.
Gay City News reports that Johnson is the 35th transgender or gender non-conforming American murdered this year. 2020 saw 44 such killings in the United States.
Related: Transwoman brutally stabbed in Los Angeles; demonstrators take to the streets
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“My heart breaks hearing the news about Pooh Johnson,” said Victoria Kirby York, deputy executive director of The National Black Justice Coalition. “This epidemic of violence continues to take life after life and each senseless loss is devastating. The trans and nonbinary community needs support in this moment and they need protection. Lawmakers must introduce and pass legislation that will prioritize the safety of trans and gender-nonconforming people.”
“Law enforcement must work to hold those responsible for these murders accountable,” Kirby York added. “Community members must put pressure on lawmakers and law enforcement to ensure the work gets done. We all must continue to fight back against the transphobia and bias that contributes to the violence we see.”
Johnson’s murder is the latest in a number of attacks on LGBTQ people worldwide. In the UK this week, a gay man was left bloodied and screaming following a homophobic attack. Earlier this summer, the killing of a gay man ignited mass protests across Spain. In May, a transgender woman in New York lost her life in an apparent hate crime.
Kangol2
Very sad news. I hope they catch her killer.
nunya
Senseless and sad, no matter the motive.
nitejonboy
I cannot believe I am just now hearing this, I live right here in Shreveport and have not heard this on our news at all…I guess I shouldn’t be surprised one bit. So sad, Rest in power sweetie. I didn’t know her but I am sure we probably had mutual friends. I am sure the news probably used her dead name and that is why I didn’t know about it. So sick of this happening to our beautiful family. Well our dumbass mayor has just fired our dumbass police chief ( who I went school with, was in boy scouts with and who once clogged my mom’s toilet, shows how full of shit he and the rest of them are around here ),so I’m sure this won’t be investigated for a long time, if ever.