Black Transgender Woman Sophie Lee Shot and Killed in Baltimore
The 27-year-old was involved in Baltimore’s ballroom scene for years.
Sophie Lee, a Black trans woman and an active member in Baltimore’s ballroom scene, was shot and killed in the city early Friday morning, according to local media reports.
News station WBAL reports that police responded to calls around 1:00 a.m. on Friday and found Lee, 27. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers were knocking on doors on Friday looking to retrieve any security camera footage or other information about the killing.
While authorities did not release her name, Lee was identified publicly by local Black- and trans-led grassroots nonprofit organization called Baltimore Safe Haven as a former client and friend.
“Sophie was more than what happened to her. She was a person. She was loved. She mattered. She deserved the opportunity to live, grow, laugh, love, and simply exist safely as herself,” Baltimore Safe Haven CEO Iya Damons wrote on a social media post about a vigil held in Lee’s honor on Sunday, local station WMAR reports.
“This is not only a former client of ours, but is also a friend of many of the people here on our staff, and it has affected us greatly, greatly, greatly,” Renee Lau from Safe Haven told WBAL.
A GoFundMe by the organization raised more than $7,000 for her funeral costs, which was given to Lee’s mother, the Baltimore Banner reports.
Baltimore authorities are still looking for suspects in connection with Lee’s killing.
“This is a scary thing for people of trans experience because we don’t know exactly what happened,” an unnamed source with the Baltimore Safe Haven told WBAL. “She could have gotten murdered because she was trans. So this could strike up a lot of different feelings inside of individuals. And we have the behavior and mental health component here that we’re able to address it.”
Homicide detectives have asked anyone with information to contact them at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup.
