Dozens of mourners gather to honor A’nee Roberson, a Black trans woman killed in D.C.

On Wednesday, nearly 100 mourners gathered for a vigil in Washington, D.C. to honor A’nee Roberson, a 30-year-old Black trans woman who was killed earlier this month.

Police say Roberson was assaulted near Nellie’s Sports Bar in Northwest D.C. in the early morning hours of October 14. As she fled her attacker, she ran into the road where she was struck by a car. According to a press release from the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia (MPDC), the person who was driving the vehicle remained on the scene and cooperated with police. They were not involved in the initial assault.

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“They murdered my son, and they should have been fired four years ago.”

Roberson was taken to a hospital where she later died. An autopsy determined that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. Her death has been ruled a homicide.

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Police have not identified a suspect and are reportedly investigating whether Roberson’s gender identity had anything to do with the initial assault. On Tuesday, they released surveillance video showing a person of interest in the case and are asking the public for help in identifying and locating the man shown in the footage. The MPDC is offering $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person who attacked Roberson.

Executive director of D.C. Safe Havens Iya Dammons told NBC Washington that the organization is asking police and Mayor Muriel Bowser to “step up” and take crimes against Black trans women seriously.

That call was echoed at Wednesday’s vigil, where more than 20 people spoke to the crowd gathered on the sidewalk in front of Nellie’s Sports Bar, according to The Washington Blade.

Dupont Circle Advisory Neighborhood commissioner Vincent Slatt, a member of the ANC LGBTQ Rainbow Caucus, said the group was advocating for the city to address violence against the trans community more aggressively.

“We are all sick and tired of coming to these things to see justice done,” Japer Bowles, director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, told the crowd. “We need to see justice done.” Bowles added that the city is “doing what we can” to end violence targeting the LGBTQ+ community.

Zachary Parker, the only out member of D.C.’s city council, expressed support for Roberson’s family on behalf of his fellow council members. “We are going to keep her spirit alive and bring her murderer to justice,” Parker vowed.

Dammons, who organized the vigil with Empowering the Transgender Community founder Earline Budd, led the crowd in chanting Roberson’s name.

Members of Roberson’s family were also present. Her father, Gary Roberson, told the crowd that he, his wife, and Roberson’s siblings all embraced and supported her, and he thanked those gathered for coming out.

“From this day forward, I am part of the LGBTQ community,” he said. “You have my support.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign, Roberson is the 12th Black trans woman and at least the 22nd transgender or gender non-conforming person to die by violence this year. She is also the second Black trans woman to be killed in D.C. this year, following the death of 30-year-old Skylar Harrison earlier this month.

“We must end the devaluation of trans lives that leads to disproportionate levels of violence and death,” director of community engagement for HRC’s Transgender Justice Initiative Tori Cooper said in a statement.