A transgender woman in Pennsylvania was killed on February 18 by a man who was, in turn, killed by police officers who arrived on the scene and witnessed the attack, according to multiple news outlets.
Chyna Carrillo, or Chyna Cardana, was just 24 years old when she was allegedly killed by 33-year-old Juan Carter Hernandez shortly after 11 a.m. on February 18 in Wilmington, Pennsylvania. Police officers then shot and killed Hernandez after he allegedly ignored orders to stop attacking Carrillo, who subsequently died at a hospital in Youngstown.
Carrillo’s family told WXPI, a local NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh, that Hernandez was dating Carrillo. When asked by Gay City News whether the case is being investigated as a hate crime, a police spokesperson in Wilmington deferred comment on February 21 to Pennsylvania State Police because local authorities were involved in the shooting. Pennsylvania State Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carrillo was a nursing professional who originally lived in Arkansas, but moved to Pennsylvania.
Carrillo’s aunt, Mayra Carrillo, remembered her late niece as she shared a photo on Facebook and reminisced about the wonderful times they spent together.
“My Chyna was always down to take pics with me,” Mayra noted in her Facebook post. “I miss her so much. She knew I loved her with all my heart and I know she loved me. Rest in power my beautiful mermaid!! Her name was Chyna Carrillo. SAY HER NAME!!”
Carrillo is at least the seventh transgender individual to suffer a violent death so far in 2021. Others who have been killed this year include Tyianna Alexander of Chicago, Samuel Edmund Damián Valentín of Puerto Rico, Bianca “Muffin” Bankz of Atlanta, Dominique Jackson of Mississippi, Fifty Bandz of Louisiana, and Alexus Braxton of Miami.
To sign up for the Gay City News email newsletter, visit gaycitynews.com/newsletter.
