Pennsylvania Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action Respond to Shooting of Black Transgender Woman in Aliquippa, Pa.

The Pennsylvania chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement in response to the death of Angel Naira, a 36-year-old Black transgender woman who was shot and killed in her home in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. 

“One thing is clear: Angel made an indelible mark on the lives of so many within her community and beyond,” said Stacy Stone, a volunteer with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Our thoughts are with Angel’s loved ones during this time as we continue to combat gun violence in all corners, including the hate-fueled violence that threatens the transgender community.”

Angel Naira is at least the 48th transgender or gender non-conforming person to be killed in 2021 in the United States and Puerto Rico, and it’s likely there have been more deaths that have gone unreported or victims who have been misgendered.

2020 was previously the deadliest year on record for trans and gender nonconforming people in the U.S., but 2021 has now surpassed that number with more than a month still remaining in this year. Some trends from 2017 to 2020 that are on track to continue in 2021:

• Guns are the most frequently used weapon in the murder of trans people. Three-fourths of trans people killed in America were killed with a gun.
• Black trans women account for the majority of homicide victims in the trans community. To put this into perspective, while Black people make up 16% of the trans population, 75% of known trans homicide victims in the US between 2017 and 2020 were Black.

Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund has tracked homicides of transgender and gender non-comforming people in the U.S. since 2017. In addition to breaking down gun violence to the state- and county-level, the platform includes a database of known trans or gender nonconforming homicide victims in the United States.