Trans Activist Kaitoria Bankz Killed During Attempted Carjacking In Alabama

Friends and loved ones are mourning the death of activist Kaitoria “Kai” Bankz, who was fatally shot on Monday, March 31 in Alabama.

Authorities are still investigating the shooting, which they believe stemmed from an attempted carjacking in Autuagaville, AL. According to County Sheriff Mark Harrell, Bankz, 31, was communicating online with 27-year-old Kelmen Merrell King. The two had apparently planned to meet in person for a “sexual encounter.” It’s unclear why Bankz brought her brother to the meet-up. Police say the night took a deadly turn when King attempted to steal their car, but ended up firing a gun, which was later recovered on the scene. Bankz’s brother was shot in the head but taken to a local hospital and survived. Bankz sadly passed away from the gunshot wound.

King turned himself in to the police the next morning and was charged with murder and attempted murder. A few days later, authorities apprehended 20-year-old Leroy Lewis. Police say Lewis assisted with the crime, but no further details have been revealed. He has also been charged with murder and attempted murder, along with an obstruction charge. Their bonds have been set at $60,000, according to WSFA.

Authorities are still looking into whether Bankz was targeted due to her identity as a transgender woman. Harrell said additional arrests are possible.

As the Autuagaville community awaits answers, Bankz’s loved ones are mourning the heartbreaking loss. She is remembered as a vibrant and outgoing young woman who worked tirelessly as a staff member of The Knights and Orchids Society (TKO), a Black and trans-led nonprofit that serves the queer community in the South. In a statement on Wednesday, March 2, TKO denounced Bankz’s death as a “senseless act of violence.”

“Kai was a bright light in our organization,” said TC Caldwell, Executive Director of TKO Society. “Her bold presence inspired everyone around her. She was making significant contributions in the LGBTQ+ community through health coordination, peer support, and advocacy.

“Kai was actively involved in fellowships and worked with various advocacy groups, constantly seeking ways to improve not only her own life but the lives of those around her,” the statement continued. “Her clients, many of whom relied on her for critical support services, will deeply feel her absence and so will those who worked alongside her.”

According to TKO, Bankz was working towards her GED and had plans to go to college, studying psychology. Her life goal was to become a therapist for Black people in lower-income communities, who “need to heal.”

“My heart breaks hearing about the death of Kaitoria Bankz,” said Victoria Kirby York, Director of Public Policy and Programs for the National Black Justice Coalition. “It is clear with Kai, like all our trans siblings taken too early, that they had plans for the future, a full life they hoped to live, and goals they wished to accomplish. It is essential that we remember the lives taken are not just statistics in the ongoing epidemic of violence, but real people with full lives, hopes, and desires. As Kai died on Trans Day of Visibility, we must make sure trans people are not only visible when they are suffering, but when they are joyful and thriving. I also want to thank Kai for all the work she did to serve the community and mourn all she would have accomplished. It is up to all of us to honor her with actions supporting and uplifting the transgender community and her life’s mission to connect mental health care to those who need it most.”