The body of a black transgender woman was found in Dallas over the weekend, making the recent death the second for an African-American trans woman in the city this year.
CNN reports Chynal Lindsey’s body was found in a lake on June 1, and Dallas Police Chief U. Reneé Hall has requested the FBI’s help in solving Lindsey’s case and rectifying the case of Muhlaysia Booker, another black trans woman who was shot to death weeks after being attacked by a mob.
Authorities aren’t certain if the crimes are connected, but they’re urging the public to come forward with any information they may have.
Booker’s death raised renewed attention to the violence against black trans women. Activists in the area think the number of deaths against the trans community could be much higher and are simply unaccounted for, for a variety of reasons including the deaths not being reported or investigated, or trans women being wrongly identified.
Community members also warn to not frame the deaths of both trans women as a problem unique to Dallas, There have been countless deaths within the black trans community across the nation. One of Booker’s friends, Jazmine Bandz attended a press conference Monday (June 3) and asked the chief to help make the community safer for everyone, especially the black trans community.
“That’s our goal, to provide safety for each and every member of the community,” Hall said. “We’re working together to make sure that you can feel safe in the community.”
