In the pre-dawn hours of August 30, 2018, 18-year-old Vontashia Bell, a Black/African American transgender woman, was shot on a street in the Cedar Grove neighborhood of Shreveport, Louisiana. Police arrived after reports of gunfire and found her about 4:30 a.m.; she was taken to a local hospital and died shortly after arrival. Her death was ruled a homicide.

Initial reports misgendered Bell and used a former name, prompting Louisiana Trans Advocates and other groups to correct the record and condemn both the violence and the disrespectful reporting. Those groups noted Bell’s killing as part of a wider pattern of fatal violence against transgender people, particularly women of color.

The Shreveport Police Department opened an investigation, asked the public for help, and offered a reward for information leading to an arrest. If anyone knew Vontashia or has information about the shooting, please come forward to assist the investigation.