A candlelit vigil was held on March 20th for Rayanna Pardo, a trans woman of color who died three days earlier as she walked along E 5th Street and S Eastern Avenue – mere minutes from her home – before being struck by a drunk driver.
Local surveillance footage showed the 26-year-old pacing down Eastern Avenue as people followed her – Pardo’s family claim they were harassing and threatening her.
Her family is now pushing for the Los Angeles Police Department to investigate the incident further, floating that she might have been pushed by those following her.
At the vigil, organized by the grassroots activist group Trans Latina Coalition, trans Pride flags decorated the chain fence on the street where she was slain.
Pardo is at least the 12th trans or gender nonconforming person killed this year, according to LGBT+ advocacy group Human Rights Campaign.
