Whispering Wind Bear Spirit, an Indigenous non-binary person, is the 23rd known trans/gender-diverse person to have been killed in the US this year after they were shot in York, Pennsylvania on May 3.
According to Advocate, Bear Spirit, who described themselves as “Shawnee by birth and Potawatomi by relations”, was shot during a break-in and robbery attempt while staying with a friend.Charges have been filed against 19-year-old Oscar Cook, but police have said there are at least two other known suspects.
Their death is being investigated as a homicide but police have not yet released further details. Bear Spirit was killed only one day before Sophie Vasquez, 36, and Danny Henson, 31, who were both trans women of colour.