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Black Trans Teen Girl Ariyanna Mitchell, 17, Murdered in Virginia
Her name was Ariyanna Mitchell. She was 17 years old resident of Newport News, Virginia. On April 2, she was shot multiple times at a party in nearby Hampton, Virginia when she intervened in a dispute. Ariyanna was a Black trans woman.
19-year-old Jimmy Leshawn Williams of Norfolk shot her multiple times with an assault rifle after Williams girlfriend allegedly asked him to shoot up the party. From WAVY (deadnaming and misgendering at this link)
The friend said the shooting stemmed from a fight at a party in Norfolk earlier that night. She said the fight was between her and William’s girlfriend- and that the bullet was meant for her, not Mitchell. “She [William’s girlfriend] was going to get her boyfriend to come shoot me and everybody in this house,” the friend said.
Williams has a record and is facing other charges including possession of stolen guns. He’s been arrested and is awaiting arraignment.
The events that transpired suggest that Williams asked Ariyanna about her gender identity and shot her based on her response.
Court documents say police were able to identify Williams as the suspect through an eyewitness of the shooting. Documents say that witness said Williams pulled up on Wine Street in his girlfriend’s car. Williams…
