Milwaukee man charged in killing of transgender woman
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Twenty-two-year-old Davion Steed is now being charged with first degree intentional homicide, after police say he shot and killed a transgender woman in Milwaukee.
Amyri Dior was just 23 years old when police found her with multiple gunshot wounds in an apartment and later died from her injuries. The Milwaukee LGBTQ+ community are among many who are shaken up at a violent attack against a transgender woman.
"We are a very tight knit part of the community," said Jamila Mitchell, a board member for Courage Plus. "What happens to one of us, it feels like it happened to all of us."
Family, friends and community members are demanding justice after Amyri Dior, who they say was a vibrant and loving soul was shot and killed on Feb. 21.
"It's very scary for the larger LGBTQ community as well, because it keeps happening and we know that violence against Black trans women only extends to violence to the rest of us," said Mitchell.
Davion Steed appeared in the courtroom Thursday, charged with first degree intentional homicide in connection to Dior's death.
Police responded to the shooting at an apartment near 95th and Brown Deer, finding Dior with multiple gunshot wounds to the stomach. The criminal complaint says when asked who did this, Dior responded "Davion" before losing consciousness.
The criminal complaint says Facebook conversations between the two reveal Dior was threatening to expose Steed as having sexual relations with a transgender person, demanding money from him so she wouldn’t post.
Detectives say in the last conversation between the two on Feb. 20th, the day before Dior was shot, Dior demanded $200. Detectives say that same day, Steed sent a message to another person asking for bullets.
Steed is only being charged with first degree intentional homicide in this case. However, Steed is also facing separate charges in another case, including intentionally pointing a firearm at a person, disorderly conduct, use of a dangerous weapon, bail jumping and more.