NCAVP mourns the death of Jayla English, a 28-year-old Black queer woman who was fatally shot in a parking lot on August 29th in Cleveland, OH. Jayla was involved in an argument with 23-year-old Brittany Lynn and one other woman when things escalated and Brittany opened fire.
A Change.org petition has been filed for Jayla by her partner Justine Harris, claiming that Brittany–Justine’s ex–was accompanied by a woman named Orniesha Levinson. The petition is demanding a more severe charge for Orniesha, changing it from manslaughter to aggravated murder.
Additionally, a GoFundMe was started for funeral costs for Jayla, raising over $2000. In a gun memorial site created for her, over 500 virtual candles were lit in her honor.
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.