The LGBTQ community in Dallas gathered Monday to remember a transgender woman who was murdered over the weekend in New Orleans.
Chyna Gibson was a well-known performer with ties to North Texas and was also known professionally as "Chyna Doll Dupree."
She was shot around 10 times outside of a shopping mall in New Orleans. She had been visiting family for Mardi Gras.
Gibson is believed to be the fifth transgender woman of color murdered this year, and family members in North Texas are now looking for answers.
Her cousin, Angele Banks, lives in Dallas and can't understand why someone would hurt her.
"Chyna's loved by everyone," said Banks. "She was a sweetheart, always had a smile on her face, always positive, never a dull moment in her life. So nobody understands why someone would do this," Banks said.
New Orleans police tell NBC 5 they cannot confirm whether the murder was a hate crime. We asked Banks if she thinks it was.
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"Until they get the story straight or whatever, I don't want to comment on that. I just think it's senseless and that's horrible," she said.
Abounding Prosperity, an organization serving the LGBTQ community in South Dallas, has displayed a message for Gibson on a sign outside its building: "Your death will not be in vain."
Dozens gathered there for a vigil on Monday evening to remember Gibson.
For Abounding Prosperity, this tragedy serves as a call to action to better protect – specifically – the black LGBT community in Dallas with a new program called LGBTQ S.A.F.E. The acronym stands for Solidarity, Accountability, Facts, Education.
The group will find ways to interact with city officials and police to ensure the LGBTQ community is safe.
Abounding Prosperity Inc. will take its call to action to the next City Council meeting and will also try to meet with the police chief, according to the group's chief executive officer.
