Trans Woman, Gender-Nonconforming Friend Slain in Toledo Double Murder
2023's count of lethal acts of violence against transgender and gender-nonconforming people claimed two more lives when Amiri Reid and Kejuan Richardson were both shot to death in Toledo.
The Human Rights Campaign, which tracks such violence, detailed that "On November 14, 2023, Amiri, 21, was shot and killed in Toledo, Ohio, while driving around her hometown with her friend, Kejaun Richardson, a gender-nonconforming gay Black man; Richardson was also killed in the shooting."
"Amiri's death is at least the 27th violent killing of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2023," the HRC said, while Richardson's death brought the year's tally of known fatalities due to anti-trans and anti-gender-nonconforming violence to 28.
The HRC noted that "too often these deaths go unreported — or misreported," with misgendering and deadnaming by news outlets, officials, and family members obscuring the true total.
Cincinnati Fox affiliate WXIX misgendered Reid, reporting that both victims were "21-year-old men..." The station also apparently deadnamed Reid.
The HRC report referenced PGH Lesbian, which reported that, according to a press release, "officers were dispatched to the area of Rosedale and Bluff" in Toledo. "When officers arrived, they found the victims each suffering from gunshot wounds."
"The coroner's office report said an autopsy found Reid died from two gunshot wounds to the head and Richardson died from two gunshot wounds to the head and neck," the PGH Lesbian report added.
"Kejuan Richardson, 21, was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio," PGH Lesbian detailed. "He went to Woodward High School. He's been working for KFC since 2018. He liked The Avengers movies, basketball, and supporting local businesses, especially restaurants. Kejuan was a gay Black gender nonconforming person, much beloved by friends and family."
"Amiri Jean Richardson was also 21 and identified as a Black trans woman," the site continued. "Amari had a ribald sense of humor enjoying word play.... She also shared experiences of transphobia in her social media feed. She followed boxing and popular musicians."
Authorities had a suspect in the killings, 19-year-old Jorenzo Phillips, but Phillips "died by suicide on November 23rd, after a warrant was issued for his arrest," the HRC relayed.
Tori Cooper, the HRC's Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative, issued a statement on each of the lost lives.
"Amiri's life was cut short by senseless violence, and this narrative has become far too common for Black trans women," Cooper said. "Although our community can find solace in the Toledo police identifying her killer, the sad reality is that it won't bring Amiri back and she won't be able to experience the joys that come with living a long and full life."
"Despite the tragic ending of Amiri's life, her spirit will live on, and we must never forget her name."
Of Richardson's death, Cooper stated, "We've seen too many lives, like Kejuan's, taken far too early.... Despite Kejuan's life ending so tragically, it is important to remember them for all the amazing things they did while they were still here without disregarding the horrific way that they died."
"Kejuan and Amiri's lives must be celebrated to remind those with hate in their hearts that the trans community will not be silenced," Cooper added.