A transgender woman was killed in a brutal attack in her Miami apartment earlier this month and Florida police are searching for the person responsible. She was the sixth transgender or gender non-conforming person to die violently in the U.S. this year, according to data from the Human Rights Campaign.
Alexus Braxton, a 45-year-old hairstylist, was found dead Feb. 4 around 10 p.m. in her apartment at the Carmel at the California Condominiums, according to the Miami-Dade police department.
She was discovered by her mother and sister, who went to check on the apartment after not hearing from her, police said.
“Whoever did this, you need to come forward,” Braxton’s sister, Neki, told the WTVJ. “You hurting our family. What would the reason be for you to do such a crime and do such an act on a beautiful person?”
Miami police are looking diligently for information on the incident.
"We've been passing out flyers and talking to people in general because we believe that somebody saw something that they might not even realize that's going to be able to help us on this case," Det. Juan Segovia said.
"Any little bit of information can be helpful."
In the U.S. there has been a persistent pattern of violence against members of the LGBTQ community, particularly within the transgender community.
Last year was the deadliest year on record for the transgender community, with at least 37 recorded deaths, according to a report from the Human Rights Campaign. There have been a recorded 200 transgender deaths since 2013.
"The rate of violence against Black transgender women so far this year is devastating. Kimmy was a treasured member of her community and did not deserve to have her life cut short -- none of the transgender people who have been killed this year deserved that," Tori Cooper, HRC Director of Community Engagement said in a statement.
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