The Oakland Police Department is investigating the murder of a transgender woman who was shot in a possible hate crime on Sunday morning. Thirty-seven-year old Brandy Martell was an outreach worker at the Tri-City Health Center in Fremont. She was sitting in the driver's seat of her car with three other transgender women at 3 AM when two men approached the car and started a conversation.
According to witnesses, the men left shortly after learning the women were transgender, but later returned and shot at Martell through the window and side door. Brandy Martell died forty seven minutes later, twenty minutes before paramedics arrived. The Oakland Police Department has not yet released a statement on the killing.
KBOO's Zeke Harrington spoke with Tash Shatz, Trans Justice Lead Organizer at Basic Rights Oregon for more on the story.
- KBOO