Fantastic Voyage Generic Graphics Updated Nov 2023
Black America Web Featured Video
CLOSE

Kiesha Jenkins, a Black transgender woman and college student, was fatally shot in North Philadelphia, making her the 21st transgender woman killed this year alone, ABC6 Philadelphia reports.

The crime occurred in a Logan park early Tuesday morning. After being dropped off by an unknown driver at 13th and Wingohocking streets around 2:30 a.m., Jenkins was approached by five to six unidentified men. Following a physical assault, police say one of the men pulled out a gun and shot her twice in the back. Jenkins was transported to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The 22-year-old was a student at Temple University. It’s unclear why she was in the area. Police are treating the case as a homicide — not a hate crime.

ABC6 Philadelphia reports:

“Right now we don’t have any motive. We don’t know if it’s potentially a hate crime, if it was a robbery, we really don’t know; it’s too early in the investigation to tell,” Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark said.

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Investigators are unable to find any surveillance footage from the area and haven’t talked to the person who dropped Jenkins off.

Crimes against transgender women have increased since 2014. According to an August report from Fusion, 20 trans women were killed so far this year, with nine of the cases leading to murder charges. Most of the victims were women of color.

Police currently have no leads in Jenkins’ case. A reward of $20,000 has been announced for anyone who has knowledge about the incident.

SOURCE: ABC6 Philadelphia, Fusion | VIDEO CREDIT: Inform 

 

Black Transgender Woman Fatally Shot In Philadelphia Is The 21st Trans Woman Killed This Year  was originally published on newsone.com