A 36-year-old trans man named Tee Arnold died earlier this month after he was shot outside a shopping mall in Hallandale Beach, Florida in the middle of the night.
Hallandale Beach police Captain Aaron Smith does not believe the murder was a hate crime and says it was “an isolated incident” sparked by a disagreement between the victim and the suspect. He toldLocal 10 News the suspect is a woman who knew the victim.
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Police transported Arnold – who also went by Lagend Billions – to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital after he was shot around 1:30 am on April 3. He died at the hospital on April 7.
Arnold had previously posted to social media that his life was in danger, writing that he had a “reward” on his head.
The Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents Blog wrote that Arnold had a large extended family and “was a significant male adult figure in the lives of his nieces and nephews.”
It continued, “Friends, former coworkers, neighbors all seem to have stories about this man taking time to connect and listen to them, to support them especially during difficult times. These recurring themes of his compassion, kindness, and showing up wind through a lot of the countless tributes pouring in on social media.”
One friend, CeCe Gates, wrote on Facebook that Arnold was there for her when she was a terrified new mom.
“I thank you for always answering the phone when I was lost, for never being afraid to tell me when I’m wrong, telling me to pray when I was weak, always offering words of encouragement… sometimes I never had to say anything… in the silence you knew I just needed someone to be there… 15 years of friendship and I never thought I would be saying goodbye like this … thank you for blessing the world with your greatness, laughter, and good energy. Thank you for showing the world that there is nothing better than being your true authentic self.”
In a statement reported byThe Advocate, Victoria Kirby York, director of public policy and programs at the National Black Justice Coalition, stated, “Tee Arnold is the fourth death driven by hate of a trans man this year, marking a concerning rise in fatal violence against our brothers.”
“Weeks prior to his death, Tee posted that his life was in danger, indicating that if the police had taken action on the threats against his life, this tragedy could have been prevented. We also cannot ignore that this murder occurred in Florida, a state that has been leading the charge in anti-trans legislation and rhetoric. Similarly, we cannot forget that, more often than not, requests for law enforcement protection from Black LGBTQ+/SGL people are not provided even though we face disproportionate hate-driven violence.”
The Human Rights Campaign has documented seven other trans people who have died by violent means in 2024.
A reward of up to $5,000 has been offered to anyone with information that may lead to an arrest in Arnold’s death. Those who know something can remain anonymous if they choose and can call Hallandale Beach police at (954) 457-1400 or Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.
