TRIGGER WARNING: Graphic violence detailed in linked story
NCAVP mourns the death of Christopher Rodriguez, a 30-year-old gay man whose life was tragically lost to violence in Harlem, New York on May 16, 2020. According to local reports, Christopher became the fatal victim of an assault on Mother’s Day, after a friend he took in to stay with him in his apartment, Aljo Mrkulic, 31, brutally attacked him.
Christopher was a Lehman College graduate who spent his time tending to and taking care of his family. Christopher’s mother, Jacqueline Perez says, “He was the center of our family.” She says, “He always went to parties to dance. He was always taking care of animals. He would even feed cats in the street.” We send our deepest condolences in light of this tragic loss.
Local police are continuing to investigate Aljo Mrkulic who was taken into custody following the attack. Christopher’s brother is crowdfunding funeral costs. You can donate to that fund here.
We know it can be hard to read these reports of violence against our communities. If you need support in these difficult times, you can always reach out to your local NCAVP member. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, you can reach our free bilngual national hotline at 212-714-1141 or report online for support.
NCAVP works to prevent, respond to, and end all forms of violence against and within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and HIV-affected communities. NCAVP is a national coalition of local member programs and affiliate organizations who create systemic and social change. NCAVP is a program of the New York City Anti-Violence Project.