Tamara Dominguez is 17th U.S. Trans Woman Killed in 2015

By Kenrya Rankin Aug 20, 2015

On August 15, 2015, Mexican-American Tamara Dominguez became the 17th transgender woman killed in the United States in 2015. The 36-year-old was found in a Kansas City, Missouri parking lot, run over by a vehicle behind a church.

According to a witness who called 911, Dominguez got out of a black SUV at 3 am local time. Then the driver hit her with the car, and ran over her twice. She died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Her community of friends say she identified as a transgender woman.

“As with any other investigation, if it determines that the act fits the definition of a hate crime, we will class it accordingly,” Kansas City PD Sergeant Kari Thompson told the Guardian.

According to the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project (KCAVP), Dominguez’s death comes in the midst of an outbreak of violence directed toward LGBTQ people in Kansas City—one that is impacting the entire community. “Tamara’s brutal murder has sent a ripple effect of fear across the city as many trans women of color and transgender people are expressing concerns over their physical and emotional safety,” KCAVP’s youth and outreach coordinator Randall Jenson told the Guardian. KCAVP will be holding a community healing event on August 30, 2015.

Earlier this year, the Human Rights Campaign declared a national crisis when it comes to violence against people in the transgender community. Dominguez is the fifth transgender woman whose body was discovered in August. They were all women of color. The names of the other four women are:

  • Amber Monroe, 20, Detroit, Michigan
  • Shade Schuler, 22, Dallas, Texas
  • Kandis Capri, 11, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Elisha Walker, 20, Johnston Country, N.C.