Kokomo City stars pay tribute after Rasheeda Williams found dead
Williams has become the 13th trans person in the US to be killed in 2023.
Rasheeda Williams, a star of the award-winning documentary, Kokomo City, has been killed in Atlanta.
Williams, also known as Koko Da Doll, has become the 13th trans person to die in the United States in 2023. This is according to Trans Lives Matter.
Police in Atlanta say the 35-year-old was found with gunshot wounds at around 11pm on Tuesday (18 April). She was pronounced dead at the scene.
As per a statement provided to Deadline on Thursday (20 April 2023) police have said the investigation is continuing.
Police appear to have not named Williams as the victim. This has come from the director of Kokomo City, D. Smith.
Kokomo City portrayed the struggles of Black trans women in Atlanta and New York working as sex workers. It received its world premiere at Sundance in January, winning the Adobe NEXT Innovator Award and the Audience Award.
It has since gone on to be shown at the BFI Flare LGBTQIA+ Film Festival and elsewhere.
D. Smith told Variety: “I created Kokomo City because I wanted to show the fun, humanised, natural side of Black trans women. I wanted to create images that didn’t show the trauma or the statistics of murder of Transgender lives.”
Smith then lamented: “Here we are again.”
Continuing, Smith said: “It’s extremely difficult to process Koko’s passing, but as a team we are more encouraged now than ever to inspire the world with her story.
“To show how beautiful and full of life she was. She will inspire generations to come and will never be forgotten.”
“WE WILL GET JUSTICE FOR YOU”
Writing on Instagram, one of Williams’ Kokomo City co-stars, Daniella Carter also said: “I don’t know what to do without you.”
She also wrote: “Never thought I’d lose you, but here I am standing alone without you by my side we’re sisters for life we promised.”
Carter added: “I’m waiting here my arms wide open, tears running down my face. Ready for you to return even if it takes forever my sister. I will truly miss you sis.”
Dominique Silver, another of Williams’ co-stars, wrote: “WE WILL GET JUSTICE FOR YOU AND PLEASE PROTECT BLACK TRANS WOMEN AT ALL COST!”