Jayla English, a 28-year-old Black queer woman, was fatally shot in a Cleveland parking lot on August 29, 2020, after an altercation involving Brittany Lynn and Orniesha Levinson. The shooting reportedly began when an argument escalated and Brittany Lynn opened fire; Jayla died as a result.

Jayla’s partner, Justine Harris, launched a Change.org petition urging prosecutors to pursue aggravated murder charges against Orniesha Levinson instead of manslaughter. A GoFundMe raised more than $2,000 for Jayla’s funeral, a gun memorial site recorded over 500 virtual candles, and the New York City Anti-Violence Project publicly mourned her death and highlighted violence in LGBTQ communities. Legal proceedings connected to State v. Levinson reached the Ohio Court of Appeals, Eighth District, in 2021.

Jayla’s family and community continue to remember her; anyone with information about the shooting or who knew Jayla is asked to come forward.