In the early morning hours of Sunday, May 13, 2018, a dispute in Atlanta, Georgia, tragically cut short the life of 36-year-old Nino Fortson. A Black transgender man, Fortson was a known and loved member of the local ballroom scene, often participating in the 'butch realness' category.
The altercation reportedly began between Fortson and a group of two men and two women.
According to a witness, the argument escalated, and Fortson allegedly fired a small handgun into the air before walking away. Moments later, more gunshots were heard. Police on a nearby traffic stop responded to the sound of gunfire and discovered Fortson with multiple gunshot wounds in the 700 block of Woods Drive. He was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Atlanta police began an investigation into the homicide. A witness reported seeing one of the men involved in the initial argument limping away from the scene after the final shots were fired. Despite appeals to the public for information, reports from May 2018 indicated that the suspect or suspects remained at large.
Friends and family mourned Fortson's death, with some expressing their belief that the killing may have been a hate crime due to his gender identity. The Atlanta Police Department stated at the time that their preliminary investigation had not indicated that Fortson's gender identity played a role in his death, but they engaged their LGBT liaisons to explore all possible angles. As of the latest available information, there have been no publicly announced arrests or naming of suspects in the murder of Nino Fortson.
