As Politicians Debate Definitions, Trans Community Members Continue to Die; Already Hurting Trans Community Rocked by Deaths of Tahiry Broom & Sam Nordquist
Since Day 1 of the Trump Administration, the Trans community has been hit over and over again with vicious Executive Orders that challenge everything from their right to serve in the military, to ability to receive life-saving care, to questioning their very existence. While organizations and Attorney Generals from across the nation bring the legality and constitutionality of these actions to Federal Justices for intervention, the consequences of the hateful rhetoric spewing from our highest offices is parroted by the masses and puts the lives of every single Trans community member in more and more danger every day. This week alone, the murders of both Tahiry Broom and Sam Nordquist hit the news and an already hurting community.
On February 14th, The New York State Police announced second-degree murder charges against 5 individuals in upstate New York for the murder and torture of 24 year old Sam Nordquist of Oakdale, Minnesota. Nordquist, a Trans-Masculine man met and flew to visit an individual named Precious Arzuaga in Ontario County, New York that he had met online in September of last year. Sam had reportedly purchased a round-trip ticket with intentions of returning to his home in October of 2024 but never returned. Loved ones had last had communication with Sam in January after which he could no longer be reached. Family members filed a missing person’s report and upon investigation of the accused with whom Nordquist was visiting, and his last known location, went on to charge Kyle Sage 33 (of Rochester), Patrick Goodwin 30 (of Canandaigua), Precious Arzuaga 38 (of Canandaigua), Emily Motyka 19 (of Lima), and Jennifer Quijano 30 (of Geneva) with murder. In a press conference the New York State Police and District Attorney announced that after missing flyers began circulating through social media and through their investigation they learned that Sam Nordquist had been physically and mentally abused, sexually assaulted and tortured over the course of months, murdered and his body was located in a field in Yates County, New York.
"The facts and the circumstances of this crime are beyond depraved," Ontario County District Attorney Jim Ritts said. "This is by far the worst homicide investigation that our office has ever been a part of. It is an ongoing investigation, so we are necessarily limited in the things that we can talk about. But no human being should have to endure what Sam endured."
The DA maintains the defendants may still be charged with a hate crime. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911, New York State Police at (585) 398-4100, or email crimetip@troopers.ny.gov.
In Southfield, Michigan near Detroit, Tahiry “Tokyo” Broom, a 29-year-old Black Trans-Feminine woman from Cleveland, was murdered on February 9. She had met Robert Ridges III, 28, through a commercial sex site when after an argument, Ridges allegedly shot Tahiry. He was charged with second-degree murder and several weapons charges. When police responded to the 25000 block of Shiawassee Road for a report of an unresponsive person on Sunday, they found Tahiry lying in the parking lot of the Riverstone Apartments with a single gunshot wound to the right side of her head. Tahiry died at the scene.
Law enforcement recovered a stolen 9mm handgun and ammunition. There were records of Ridges calling multiple Fs worker sites searching for Black and sometimes Trans fs workers leading investigators to believe he may have been hunting for victims. Ridges was later arrested at the MGM Grand Casino in Detroit.
Tahiry’s Aunt said she was,"funny, smart like one of those people that can walk into the darkest room and find some light in it."
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call the Southfield Police Department at 248-796-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-SPEAK-UP. The family has posted a GOFUNDME to assist with her burial expenses.
The dehumanization of Trans folks is so much bigger than than the general public understands. The systematic questioning of a people’s worth, value and right to exist emboldens violent predators to see them as less than human, less than worthy, less than deserving of life, respect and dignity. Removing access to equity, education, employability, housing, health care, services, and justice are all life-threatening. But the hateful rhetoric that exists untempered in our society at this moment in history will continue to cost people their lives. How many more people do we have to lose?