On a Monday morning in late March of 2015, a series of events culminated in the death of 27-year-old Mya Shawatza Hall, a transgender woman. The day began with Hall and a friend, Brittany Fleming, in a stolen Ford SUV. Earlier that morning, a 60-year-old man had reported his vehicle stolen from a motel in Elkridge, Maryland, after he had picked up two individuals, later identified as Hall and Fleming, in Baltimore.
The pair took a wrong turn onto a restricted exit leading to the National Security Agency headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland. When confronted by NSA police, Hall, who was driving, did not comply with orders to stop. Instead, the SUV accelerated towards an NSA police vehicle that was blocking the road. In response, NSA officers opened fire on the vehicle. The SUV then crashed into the police car. Mya Hall was killed in the incident, while her passenger, Fleming, was injured. An NSA officer was also reported to have been wounded.
Initial speculation about a possible terrorist motive was quickly dismissed by the FBI, who stated the incident was not related to terrorism. It was later revealed that Hall and Fleming were reportedly in a 'drug-fueled haze after a party' and had stolen the vehicle they were in. A small amount of cocaine and a weapon were reportedly found in or near the SUV. Friends of Hall described her as a friendly but troubled individual who had a history of involvement with sex work and had recently been released from prison. Court records indicated a criminal history that included charges of robbery and assault. In the immediate aftermath, some media reports misgendered Hall, referring to her and Fleming as 'men dressed as women.' No arrests of the officers involved in the shooting were reported in the available sources. The FBI launched an investigation to determine if federal charges were warranted.
