Transgender woman's murder has Baltimore community seeking answers
BALTIMORE -- A murder investigation from this past weekend has Baltimore's transgender community reeling.
Baltimore Police confirmed that 24-year-old Tai'Vion Lathan was found dead around 10 a.m. on Sunday in an alley off the 800 block of North Monroe Street.
Lathan was found shot. At this time there is no suspect information.
WJZ spoke with some of Lathan's family when police started their investigation. To those who knew her, Lathan, who also went by Tai, was a happy soul.
"She was just who she was, a very outgoing person, a sweetheart," said Carla Stokes, Lathan's aunt.
Stokes, as well as her best friend Page Boyd, are asking anyone who knows what happened to come forward.
"How can you do this," Boyd said. "There's so many hearts breaking open out here. How can you wake up every day knowing what you did? It's terrible. Tai didn't deserve to be in no alley."
Iya Dammons, the executive director for Maryland Safe Haven, said Lathan's death is just the latest showing of violence against transgender people.
Maryland Safe Haven is a trans-led non-profit that offers an array of services for the LGBTQ+ community.
In April, Trans Maryland released a survey showing that 55.4% of the state's transgender community has experienced threats of violence at least once in their life.
It also found that 46.1% had experienced physical and/or sexual assault at least once in their life.
"It really hurts to know that this is another one. It should not be another one. We really need support right now," said Desire Bandz, Maryland Safe Haven's Drop-In Center coordinator.
Bandz said the non-profit advocates for more cultural competency and sensitivity training, especially with police. Maryland Safe Haven also wants more support from local governments.
Mayor Brandon Scott addressed Lathan's death
Scott said he learned about it shortly after police responded Sunday.
He said the city has and will continue to work to make things safer for the transgender community.
"This is what you hear me talking about when you talk about that culture of violence," Scott said. "We have to think about that in its completeness, for everybody in the city of Baltimore -- including members of the transgender community."
Bandz said they just want to live authentically as themselves. That's something Lathan's loved ones said she did.
"She will never be forgotten, [I will make sure] she's never forgotten," Boyd said.
There will be a vigil for Lathan on Friday, Aug. 9, starting at 7 p.m. at 1927 W. Lafayette Ave. Maryland Safe Haven is also raising money to give Lathan proper burial and funeral services.
If you know anything about Lathan's death, you can call police at 410-396-2100. You can also anonymously leave tips with Metro Crime Stoppers by calling 1-866-7LOCKUP