In the late hours of Tuesday, Imer Alvarado was shot multiple times in the upper chest in Central Fresno. Alvarado did not survive.

Police identified Imer as a "transgender woman," but multiple friends said that Imer identified as a gay man. One close friend reported that Imer was in drag at the time of the killing.

It has also been disclosed that the 34-year-old Alvarado was hearing impaired, but could read lips.

However Imer identified, whether it was him, whether it was her, Imer was Imer to those who knew him and loved him.

--Patsy Montgomery

Alvarado was found just 10 blocks away from gay bar The Alibi, a venue he appears to have checked into on Facebook on Monday night. Police said they believe Alvarado was running away at the time of the shooting and that they are looking into the possibility the killing was a hate crime.

We do know that this victim appears to be a transgender, Fresno Police Department. What appears to have occurred is that there was some type of disturbance that started in the alley way that disturbance between these two individuals ultimately carried out onto the street where this victim was found.

--Police Chief Jerry Dyer

If Alvarado was transgender, their death is the 11th reported murder of a transgender person in 2017. All of the reported victims have been people of color, mostly women.