NBJC Mourns the Stolen Life of Shannon Boswell
CONTACT: Jordan WIlhelmi | jordan@unbendablemedia.com
STONE MOUNTAIN, GA– The National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC) mourns the death of Shannon Boswell, a 31-year-old Black transgender woman from Georgia. She was killed in what was initially thought to be a hit-and-run but was later discovered to be a shooting on July 2, 2024.
Loved ones have described Shannon as the light of the party and a very sweet person. She had a boyfriend who advocated to the police on her behalf.
“My heart breaks for Shannon and all those who loved her,” said Victoria Kirby York, Director of Public Policy and Programs. “Not only is her mother having to deal with the loss of her child, but also calling media outlets to ensure her daughter’s correct name is being used in reporting. It should not fall to those in mourning to correct misgendering and deadnaming by media outlets. Police and media must do their due diligence to honor those taken from us and not delay justice by using incorrect information in their investigations. This has continued to be an issue despite calls from the community and resources provided by LGBTQ+ organizations on how to report and handle the homicide of a trans person properly.”
The DeKalb County Police are currently investigating but have no suspects. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 404-294-2911.
Remember the lives of the Black trans siblings we have lost this year with action by viewing NBJC’s resources for the transgender and gender-expansive/non-conforming community HERE.
Learn more about reducing gender-based violence here and here.
Look here to learn more about changing local laws and increasing protections for trans and non-binary community members.