A devastating incident in Cedar Park, Texas has left the community mourning the loss of Akira Ross, a young black woman who was killed by a stranger. Here’s the full story.
Unexpected Tragedy
According to the Austin American Statesman, police in Cedar Park, Texas, verified on June 6 that a woman named Akira Ross was shot dead by a stranger.
They were unable to state with certainty whether the incident was a hate crime.
The Murderer Was Arrested
Police say that Bradley Stanford, a 23-year-old male who was apprehended, has been charged with first-degree murder.
Victim’s Father Says Nobody Should Deal With This Kind Of Pain
Ross’s father, Anthony Hill, said that the killing was a “hate crime” and that the suspect had started calling her “gay slurs” before shooting her outside of a gas station.
He continued, “Losing a daughter is like swallowing a razor blade… nobody wants to deal with that kind of pain.”
Victim’s Partner Says The Killer Shouted Gay Slurs Before Shooting
According to Ross’ partner Tanya, Stanford allegedly yelled “gay slurs” at Ross while Ross, she, and another friend stopped to get gas at the Cedar Park station.
Tanya called 911 after she saw that the suspect was “waving around a gun” and started recording him as the man tried to speak with Ross.
Gunshots Heard
“I was recording everything I saw before my eyes,” she continued, “when I heard gunshots, I started running and screaming.”
“We didn’t expect him to do what he did,” she continued.
It Was A Hate Crime
Currently, Akira Ross’ family has made a GoFundMe campaign with the assertion that she was murdered “for the sole reason of being queer” according to the description. It went on to say, “I’m urging the community and allies to come together to support the loss of our LGBTQIA+ sibling.
Tanya says that her partner was killed solely due to being gay and black.
The post Black Woman Fatally Shot at Gas Station, Family Cites Anti-Gay Motive first appeared on Pulse of Pride.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels / Jonathan Petersson. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
