LGBTQ activists in Minnesota are urging prosecutors to categorize the killing of a trans woman as a hate crime.

This blog originally appeared at NBC News.

Savannah Ryan Williams, 38, was fatally shot at close range last month, and prosecutors recently filed second-degree murder charges against a 25-year-old man in connection with her death.

LGBTQ activists in Minnesota are urging prosecutors to classify the recent killing of a trans woman in Minneapolis as a hate crime. Additionally, they are advocating for lawmakers to enhance legal protections for a community that faces a disproportionate amount of violence.

Savannah Ryan Williams, aged 38, was fatally shot in the head at close range last month. Prosecutors recently charged 25-year-old Damarean Kaylon Bible with second-degree murder in connection with the case. Bible is currently in custody with bail set at $1 million, and his next court appearance is scheduled for January 9. As of now, there has been no immediate comment from his attorney.

According to the criminal complaint, Bible informed the police that he encountered Williams at a bus shelter near a light-rail station around 5 a.m. on Nov. 29. He claimed that Williams propositioned him for sex, and as she performed oral sex on him in a courtyard several blocks away, he began to feel “suspicious.” Bible stated that he shot her in the head from close range. The complaint mentions that from jail, Bible later confessed to his father that he had “just murdered someone.” He expressed remorse for the killing, acknowledging that he wasn’t God but felt compelled to commit the act.

It marked the second assault on a transgender woman in the vicinity of the station in the current year. In February, two individuals admitted guilt in severely beating a trans woman during a robbery. However, prosecutors determined that the motive behind that assault wasn’t rooted in bias. Additionally, the local LGBTQ community faced unrest due to an unsolved shooting at an predominantly queer and trans punk rock event in August, resulting in one fatality and six injuries.

Family members, advocates, and leaders of the Queer Legislative Caucus gathered at the state Capitol on Thursday to mourn Savannah Williams and call for enhanced protections for all individuals. They emphasized the vulnerability of trans women of color, like Williams, who face disproportionate levels of violence. Williams’ family identified her as Cuban and Native American and urged against judgment.

“Savannah should be alive today. Her death is a result of transphobia, a deadly and pervasive issue in America,” stated Democratic Rep. Leigh Finke, the first openly transgender legislator in the state, during a press conference.

The Human Rights Campaign, a proponent of LGBTQ rights, reported in its annual review last month that it had documented 335 cases of violence against transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, with at least 33 deaths in the previous 12 months. The organization highlighted that the victims were predominantly young and people of color, with Black transgender women being disproportionately affected.

“The surge in violence against transgender and gender non-conforming individuals is a national tragedy and a source of national shame,” stated Kelley Robinson, President of the Human Rights Campaign in the report.

Amber Muhm, acquainted with Williams through trans support programs, urged the prohibition of the “trans panic defense,” a practice banned in at least 18 other states but not in Minnesota.

According to the LGBTQ+ Bar, a national legal advocacy group that prefers the more inclusive term “LGBTQ+ panic defense,” it’s a strategy in which defendants blame their violent actions on their victims because of antipathy toward their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender expression. One prominent case where it appeared was the murder trial of two men who brutally beat 21-year-old college student Matthew Shepard in Wyoming in 1998 and left him tied to a fence to die.

Muhm also urged the 2024 Legislature to build upon the protections established this year for trans youth and others.

“We deeply miss Savannah, and she should be with us today,” Muhm expressed to the press. “Though our hearts are shattered, we will persist in our fight, push forward, and strive to make Minneapolis the most supportive trans community in the country.”

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty stated that she couldn’t delve into the specifics of the case due to the ongoing investigation. However, Moriarty, who identifies as queer, emphasized that transgender individuals “deserve to live authentically and be free from threats and violence.” She pledged to prosecute the case thoroughly and fairly.

Minnesota lacks a dedicated hate crime statute, but it permits lengthier sentences for crimes driven by bias. A conviction for second-degree murder in Minnesota can result in a sentence of up to 40 years.

“If the investigation provides adequate evidence to establish bias motivation beyond a reasonable doubt, we will prosecute accordingly,” Moriarty stated.

CORRECTION (Dec. 12, 2023, 5:15 p.m. ET): In a prior version of this article and its headline, there was an error in stating when Damarean Kaylon Bible was charged. The correct information is that he was charged last week, not this week.