Friends mourn nonbinary artist killed in New Orleans hit-and-run

A New Orleans DJ and tattoo artist named YOKO died last month after being struck by a driver who fled the scene. YOKO’s name was an acronym for “YOUONLYKNOWONE,” according to the artist’s personal website.

The nonbinary artist was driving a motorized scooter in the city’s Gentilly neighborhood on September 19, when an SUV pulled out of a nearby business and hit them, WVUE reported. The SUV sped away. Yoko was knocked off the scooter and died at the scene.

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The courtroom erupted into cheers as the judge announced the verdict.

Police were able to identify the SUV and arrested the driver, 35-year-old Bryan Mitchell Sr., the following day while he was changing the vehicle’s tire on the side of I-10. Mitchell, who reportedly had multiple fugitive warrants, was charged with one count of fatal hit-and-run driving and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle.

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In a press release, Tori Cooper, director of community engagement for the HRC’s Transgender Justice Initiative, described Yoko’s death as “a profound loss for the entire New Orleans community.”

“I wish YOKO was still here with the people who knew and loved them best,” Cooper wrote. “They were a prolific artist and gentle spirit who seemed to truly pour the joy of life into everyone they knew. As loved ones grieve, they should find solace in the fact that YOKO had so many people who loved them and admired their amazing talent. YOKO’s warmth and joy will live on in the New Orleans community and beyond. The world could use a lot more love and compassion for every person.”

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A post shared by y o k o (@youonlyknowone.exe)

One friend remembered YOKO as “an exceptional, joyful, absurdly talented, and extremely loving and gentle human.”

“There are so many friends grieving,” they told WVUE.

“Their style is very unique. It’s one-of-a-kind, all-custom art,” said Salvador Rodriguez, owner of Slangin Dat Ink, a tattoo shop where YOKO worked.

Rodriguez told WWL-TV that the shop would continue to offer tattoos of YOKO’s artwork, with proceeds going to YOKO’s mother.

Besides their work as a tattoo artist, YOKO was also a DJ and electronic music producer, working under the name Black Materia. They planned to debut a new “solo noise project” at the Mudlark Public Theatre on September 29.

While authorities have not indicated that YOKO’s death was anything other than an accident, an HRC press release noted it was “at least the 18th violent killing of a transgender or gender non-conforming person in 2023.”