Candlelight vigil honors slain trans woman in SW Houston, police search for shooter
HOUSTON - A somber atmosphere enveloped a courtyard in Houston's Museum District as a candlelight vigil was held to commemorate Diamond Brigman, a transgender woman tragically killed in Southwest Houston a week ago.
White flowers adorned the bricks as friends, family, and supporters gathered to pay their respects Sunday evening.
Brigman fell victim to gun violence in the early hours of March 16 while standing near the intersection of Country and Club Creek Streets.
Houston police say around 1 a.m. that night, surveillance footage captured a white Chevy Malibu circling the area before stopping near Brigman. An unidentified man, described as approximately 5'5" tall, exited the passenger side, shot Brigman with a gun multiple times, and fled the scene in the vehicle driven by another person. Witnesses say the man had a thin build and wearing a gray hooded jacket.
At the vigil, Verniss McFarland, Founder of The Mahogany Project, expressed gratitude towards an individual who stayed with Brigman in her final moments, stating, "To the person who stayed with Diamond, I don't think they get enough credit. For someone to have enough care to sit beside somebody in their final moments…we thank you. I'm sure Diamond appreciates you."
Community advocates suspect Brigman, a Black trans woman, was specifically targeted, citing a disturbing trend of violence against transgender individuals in the area. McFarland highlighted recent attacks, emphasizing the urgent need for community support and solidarity.
"Just on Saturday, we had another one of our siblings who came to our office who was brutalized and attacked in the same neighborhood. We need community more than ever. We need you all," McFarland pleaded.
Described as a caring friend actively working towards a better life, Brigman was amid job hunting and resume-building before her untimely death. Friends fondly remembered her as a lovable individual, determined to make positive changes in her life.
"This has nothing to do with identity. We lost a human body. Somebody's child. Somebody's loved one. Somebody's cousin, whatever...we lost a human being," expressed Atlantis Narcisse of Save Our Sisters United.
While police have recovered the vehicle believed to be involved in the shooting, no arrests have been made. Authorities urge anyone with information regarding the incident to contact the Houston Police Department at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
As the community mourns the loss of Diamond Brigman, the vigil served not only as a remembrance of her life, but also as a call to action against violence targeting marginalized communities. National organizations, like The Human Rights Campaign, the National Black Justice Coalition, and Everytown for Gun Safety, also called for justice and action in Brigman's murder.