JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released a statement in response to the fatal shooting of a trans woman in Jacksonville last week. According to reports, Celine Walker was shot and killed in a room at the Extended Stay America hotel.
Celine is at least the fourth transgender woman killed nationwide so far this year and is the second to be killed by gun violence. 2017 was the deadliest year on record for the transgender community in the United States, with at least 28 trans homicides. Twenty four of the victims were women of color and 20 of them were killed with a gun.
STATEMENT FROM CHERYL ANDERSON, A JACKSONVILLE-BASED VOLUNTEER WITH THE FLORIDA CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION IN AMERICA:
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Celine Walker and the LGBTQ community in Jacksonville. Too often, we’re reminded that marginalized communities are forced to carry the burden of gun violence more than any other in our country. We cannot accept this as our new normal. We cannot accept that in 2017, more than three in four of the known trans people who were killed were under the age of 35. It is time our lawmakers prioritize public safety for all, and not just some, to change this horrifying narrative.”