22-Year-Old Black Trans Woman Queasha D. Hardy Shot to Death in Baton Rouge

Her name was Queasha Hardy. She was a 24-year-old Black trans woman who became the latest fatality in the epidemic of transphobic violence. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, she appears to have many friends and loved ones who are grieving her death. Her Instagram feed is filled with images of women whose hair she styled, raving about her talent and skills.

She was a young woman with talent and skills who will never get a chance to see where they could take her.

Initial reporting is deadnaming and misgendering Queasha.

The shooting happened around 1:15 p.m. in the 1700 block of N Harco Drive. Police have identified the victim. She was found nearby suffering from apparent gunshot wounds and died on-scene, police say. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about what happened is asked to call BRPD’s Violent Crimes Unit at 225–389–4869 or Crime Stoppers at 225–344–7867.

She was shot to death at 1:15 in the middle of the afternoon and left to die. Queasha is the third Louisiana Black trans woman killed in recent weeks. Draya McCarty, age unknown, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Baton Rouge. Shaki Peters, 32, was killed in nearby Amite on July 1, 2020.