Transgender taxi driver shot dead on the first day of 2020

Oklahoma, USA — A local LGBTQ+ activist and taxi driver Dustin Parker was reportedly gunned down in his own taxi in McAlester, Oklahoma. This is the first transgender homicide case for 2020.

The 26-years-old was fatally shot near the 200 block of West Delaware early Wednesday morning. Police responded to the scene after several witnesses allegedly heard gunshots.

Furthermore, they found Parker dead on the driver’s seat and several bullet holes in his taxi cab window.

The taxi driver leaves behind four children, a wife, and a legacy of LGBTQ activism. According to reports, he was a founding member of Oklahomans for Equality-McAlester Chapter: Southeastern Equality.

“Dustin is one our founding SeEQ members and was a loving soul, wonderful husband, father and friend,” the organization posted on Facebook.

The group set up a fundraiser to help Parker’s family after his death. They have raised over $40,000 of their $50,000 goal.

https://www.facebook.com/seeq.lgbt/posts/907823042947064

Meanwhile, Rover Taxi manager Brian West expressed his dismay over the death of his employee.

“Dustin was a steadfast friend, an amazing husband and father, and generous to a fault,” he wrote. “He loved fiercely, worked tirelessly, and took on life with so much hope and enthusiasm that his presence brightened all of our lives.”

In addition, the Oklahoma chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, decried Parker’s death.

“Dustin Parker should still be alive,” said Hannah Parker in a statement. “My heart goes out to his wife, to his four children, to his friends, to his fellow members of Oklahomans for Equality, and to every trans, non-binary, gender-nonconforming child and adult in this state who heard this news and felt a little less safe.”

Today we lowered the Transgender flag in memory of Dustin Parker, who was senselessly killed on New Years Day. Dustin was founding member of Oklahomans for Equality Mcalester. We honor his memory and contributions to the LGBTQIA+ movement in Oklahoma #translivesmatter pic.twitter.com/CKkW0zPdOx
— Oklahomans for Equality (@okeq) January 2, 2020

Meanwhile, investigators are still unable to identify the suspect responsible for Dustin’s death.

“We’ve still got investigators out running down leads right now,” said Capt. Kevin Hearod of the McAlester Police Department. Moreover, he added that Dustin was “just a working man, making a living for his family, and he didn’t get to come home.”

Furthermore, police do not at the moment believe that this incident was a hate crime.

“Right now, it doesn’t look that way,” Capt. Hearod revealed in an interview. “But obviously, we’re not taking anything off the table. We don’t have anything indicating that right now.”