A transgender man was shot to death in Lynchburg, Virginia, last week, although police say the evidence does not suggest that the shooting was a hate crime.
Officers responded to a report of a malicious wounding at the parking lot outside the Family Dollar on Fort Avenue around 6 p.m. last Monday, the Lynchburg Police Department said in a release.
Police found 23-year-old Black transgender man Novaa Ru Watson, also known as “EJ” or “E” by friends, suffering from a gunshot wound. Watson was taken to Lynchburg General Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, reports The News & Advance.
Lynchburg Police spokesperson Carrie Dungan said police are investigating to see whether the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute. A child was at the scene of the shooting and is fine, she said, but didn’t provide further details.
Dungan said the department does not have evidence to suggest the incident was motivated by anti-trans bias, or reason to believe the community is in immediate danger following the shooting.
No arrests have been made in the case thus far.
Those with any information about Watson’s murder are asked to contact Detective Miller of the Lynchburg Police Department at (434) 455-6160, Crime Stoppers at (888) 798-5900, or send an online tip via http://p3tips.com.
Torri Chippe said she’s been friends with Watson since middle school, and that Watson was “loved and liked by everyone.”
“He was one of those people that was just good vibes and energy,” she said.
“To know Novaa was to love him,” Melissa Duncan, another one of Watson’s friends, told ABC affiliate WSET. “I just hope he is remembered as the beautiful person he was.”
The National Black Justice Coalition mourned Watson’s death, and criticized media for misgendering Watson in initial reports.
Watson is thought to be at least the 30th transgender or nonbinary person killed in the United States this year, according to statistics compiled by NBJC.
“This incident of violence against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+/Same Gender Loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) community is not isolated. 2021 has already seen at least 30 transgender and gender non-conforming people violently killed. If this continues, we will see a record number of cases this year,” Victoria Kirby York, the deputy executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, said in a statement. “The loss of another young, trans person is extremely disheartening. We stand in solidarity with Novaa’s friends, family, and loved ones.
“NBJC urges local, state, and federal governments to take a stand to prevent transphobia and anti-trans violence. We also demand accountability on the part of local law enforcement to properly recognize the lives of transgender and gender non-binary victims,” added Kirby York.
“This includes the elimination of deadnaming, misgendering, or printing outdated photos. Amid Pride Month, we must recognize and address the brutal violence against the LGBTQ+/SGL community and demand justice for those who we have lost.”
Step Afrika!: The Fruits of Our Labor -- Step Afrika! commemorates America's 250th anniversary with this premiere production "exploring rhythm, resilience, and the unfinished story of the American experience" through stepping, percussion, and striking visuals created in collaboration with artists Jakari Sherman, Conrad R. Kelly II, and Vusi Mdoyi (9/10-11/1, Fichandler Stage)
ATLAS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
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Romeo -- A fast-paced, all-male, ages 13+ dance interpretation of Shakespeare's tragic love story, set to pop music by the likes of Rihanna, Madonna, and Måneskin, starring Tim Lewis as Romeo and Armani Colon as Julian (9/11-13, Lang Theatre)
chitra.MOVES -- Weekly movement classes for adults drawing on Chitra's diverse background in Indian Classical dance, Hip Hop, and contemporary movement, allowing students to explore, learn, and grow at their own pace (9/17-10/22, Marley Studio)
Afrocidade -- A powerhouse 10-piece ensemble of musicians, vocalists, dancers and narrators explore D.C.'s connection to Brazil's Salvador Bahia through a shared culture of music, song, dance, and stories (9/25, Lang)
Furia Flamenco Dance Company: Zambomba! -- Furia Flamenco invites audiences into an immersive holiday fiesta weaving together flamenco footwork, soulful cante, and holiday villancicos (carols), with live music by Spanish guitarist Maestro Torcuato Zamora, flamenco guitarist and singer Juan L. Romero, singers Margarita Osorio and Jorge Porta, guitarists Guillermo J. Christie and Paul Villmoare, and the TorcuArt Choir (12/19, Sprenger Theatre)
Public Image Ltd -- John Lydon's pioneering post-punk outfit embarks on its ominously named This Is Not The Last Tour (10/1)
Buffalo Traffic Jam -- Pictures of You Tour with HAFFWAY and Lydia Maes (10/2)
Can't Feel My Face: 2010s Dance Party (10/2)
The California Honeydrops -- Sweet Like That Tour (10/3)
Medium Build -- Bisexual singer-songwriter Nick Carpenter brings The King of Having Fun on Tour, with Ken Yates opening (10/4)
Sylvan Esso (10/5-6)
BERTHA: Grateful Drag -- The world's first Grateful Drag band brings together queer and allied Nashville musicians in wigs and full face, with $1 from every ticket benefiting SMYAL (10/8)
Bright Eyes -- $1 from every ticket supports the Poison Oak Project's LGBTQ advocacy, with a particular focus on the trans community (10/9)
Mo Lowda & The Humble -- Tailing the Ghost Tour with Surf Hat (10/10)
Basement -- Momma opens (10/10)
Knox -- With Emi Grace (10/12)
Rebecca Black -- The queer pop artist continues her remarkable reinvention on the Exhibitionism Tour (10/15)
Laundry Day -- The Larger Than LIFE Tour with Illusion Hills (10/16)
Allison Russell -- The Grammy-winning queer singer-songwriter performs with emerging LGBTQ country-soul artist Autumn Nicholas opening (10/16)
Andrew McMahon and His Piano -- With Ivory Layne (10/17)
The Residents -- The famously enigmatic avant-garde collective revisits its 1979 album Eskimo (10/17)
Quadeca -- With DERBY and Oleka (10/18)
Waylon Wyatt -- Dustpiles World Tour with Noah James (10/20)
The Damned -- The British punk pioneers mark their 50th anniversary on the Final Damnation 50 tour, with Flamin' Groovies and The Courettes (10/21)
LØLØ -- God Forbid a Girl Goes on Tour with Mylie Taylor and Sydney Sherrill (10/22)
RØZ -- Se Esta Haciendo Tarde (10/23)
Paris Paloma -- The British singer-songwriter behind the feminist anthem "Labour" tours behind her new album, The Fatal Flaw, with Susannah Joffe opening (10/24-25)
hey, nothing -- The Hound Tour with Brother Bird (10/26)
Patrick Droney (10/27)
Sueco -- With Jeris Johnson (10/28)
MICO -- Running From a Feeling Tour (10/29)
Jukebox the Ghost: HalloQueen -- The local piano-pop trio performs one set of originals and another devoted to the music of Queen (10/30)
Bassvictim -- With Thoom (10/30)
The Army, The Navy -- The Fake Brave Tour (10/31)
Holywatr -- Deo Gratias Tour with Mercury (10/31)
She Wants Revenge -- With Rosegarden Funeral Party (11/1)
Hovvdy -- With Christian Lee Hutson (11/2)
The Music of Hey Arnold! Live! -- Composer Jim Lang and The PS 118 AllStars celebrate the animated series' 30th anniversary with its jazz, hip-hop, blues, R&B, and funk-infused music (11/4)
Hiss Golden Messenger -- I'm People Tour (11/7)
Winyah -- Foxtide opens (11/7)
Mountain Grass Unit -- Appalachian Smoke Tour (11/8)
Slow Pulp (11/9)
Amble (11/11)
Sammy Rae & The Friends -- Queer bandleader Sammy Rae presides over three nights of exuberant jazz, rock, funk, and soul (11/12-14)
Strawberry Guy (11/13)
Fruit Bats -- Eric D. Johnson tours in support of Baby Man, his intimate, stripped-down new album, with Sarah Klang opening (11/14)
Giant Rooks (11/15)
Jalen Ngonda -- Doctrine of Love Tour (11/16)
Die Spitz -- The riotous Austin punk quartet performs with queer "fairy-doom" trio Faetooth (11/17)
Matt Hansen -- The Orchid Tour (11/18)
They Might Be Giants -- The beloved alt-rock eccentrics settle in for an ambitious four-night stand (11/19-22)
emmet swimming and Dillon Fence (11/25)
nimino -- Keep Me Awake Tour (12/3)
Pigeons Playing Ping Pong -- With Fireside Collective the first night and Dizgo the second (12/4-5)
Montell Fish -- The Nest Tour (12/7)
GWAR -- With Midnight, Mac Sabbath, and X-Cops (12/8)
Squirrel Nut Zippers -- Christmas Caravan Tour (12/9)
Lucy Bedroque -- The nonbinary experimental rapper and producer performs with pinponpanpon (12/13)
The Taylor Party: Taylor Swift Night (1/9)
Ibeyi -- French-Cuban twin sisters Lisa-Kainde and Naomi Diaz fuse electronic soul with Afro-Cuban rhythms and Yoruba traditions (2/8)
The King George County School Board in Virginia has revised its student-organization policy and adopted new guidelines allowing middle schoolers to form non-curricular clubs, clearing the way for a Genders and Sexualities Alliance that students sued the district to establish.
The change extends equal-access protections to middle school students, allowing them to meet without discrimination based on the religious, political, philosophical, or other content of their speech, according to the Fredericksburg Free Press..
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