HRC is heartbroken to learn of the death of Selena Reyes-Hernandez, a 37-year-old transgender woman shot to death in Chicago on May 31. Her death is believed to be at least the 16th known violent death of a transgender or gender non-conforming person this year in the U.S. HRC has tracked eight such deaths from May 3rd to June 9th, constituting the greatest number of deaths we have recorded in this amount of time.

According to news reports, Reyes-Hernandez was shot and killed because she told her assailant that she was trans. Unfortunately, attempts by media to reach her family have so far been unsuccessful, and details about Reyes-Hernadez life and loved ones are not yet known.

“We have lost a beloved member of our extended trans family because of hate and violence -- hate and violence that has corrupted our country’s soul and that shatters lives and futures every day,” said Tori Cooper, HRC director of community engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative. “Selena should still be here today. Our continued failure to support and empower transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people is as inhumane as it is unacceptable. We need to take action now as a community and as a country that takes us towards racial justice and trans liberation.” Read more via HRC