On the morning of February 9, 2025, the life of a 29-year-old Black transgender woman, Tahiry Broom, was tragically cut short in Southfield, Michigan. Broom was discovered unresponsive in the parking lot of the Riverstone Apartments, lying face down in the snow with a single gunshot wound to the right side of her head. Emergency services were called to the scene around 10:14 a.m., but Broom was pronounced dead at the location.
The investigation into her death quickly led police to a
suspect, 28-year-old Robert Ridges III of Southfield. It is alleged that Ridges had connected with Broom through a commercial sex advertisement and they had arranged to meet at his apartment complex that morning. An argument reportedly broke out between the two, which tragically escalated to Ridges allegedly shooting Broom. Following the incident, a witness reported seeing a man flee the scene in a bluish-gray vehicle which was later identified as Broom's 2021 Chevrolet Equinox and found just 400 feet from the crime scene.
Within hours of the shooting, Robert Ridges III was arrested at the MGM Grand Casino in Detroit. A search of his residence uncovered a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun that had been reported stolen from Georgia in 2023; police believe this was the weapon used to kill Broom. Investigators also discovered that Ridges had made 33 phone calls to various sex workers on the morning of the shooting, many of whom were Black women, including members of the transgender community. Ridges claimed he was unaware that Broom was transgender, a statement investigators find unlikely given his call history.
Robert Ridges III has been charged with second-degree murder, carrying a concealed weapon, and felony firearm. He is being held without bond at the Oakland County Jail. The case is set to advance to the circuit court for trial. The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office has stated their commitment to bringing Broom's killer to justice, emphasizing that every person is entitled to live without fear of violence. Friends and family remember Tahiry Broom as a brilliant, vibrant, and confident person who was loved by many.
