Sherrell Faulkner was assaulted last November 30, found near a dumpster in one of Charlotte, NC's gay-friendly neighborhoods. She died May 16 from the injuries she sustained in the attack. She was 46 years-old.

Police have said that her relatives have been notified and that they are investigating the death as a homicide.

Our hearts are heavy with the news of the death of Sherrell Faulkner.

We are facing a national epidemic of violence with 11 trans people, many of them transgender people of color, murdered in 2017. We are asking leaders and community members at every level to consider both the overt and underlying reasons for these killings. We must address the root causes of violence against our community, and we cannot rest until the violence stops.

--Ames Simmons, Equality North Carolina

The number is a bit hazy, since Fresno police continue to label murder victim Imer Alvarado as a transgender woman, though he likely was a gay man in drag.

We send our love and thoughts to the friends, family and loved ones of Sherrell Faulkner. As a society we call on everyone one of us to do our part to speak out against this violence and help stop this epidemic. Let's commit to hiring transgender people of color, making sure they have safe places to live, standing up when we see or hear trans people demeaned and attacked, and simply valuing their lives.

--Beverly Tillery, New York City Anti-Violence Project