JaQuez Chyna Long, a 30-year-old Black transgender woman from Milwaukee, was remembered by loved ones as the life of the party and someone who brought joy to her family. Known as Chyna, she was a choreographer who had a passion for dance. Her father, Jonathan Long, recalled that since she was 18, young girls would come to their house by the droves for her to teach them. Her aunt, Alissa Davenport, said that Chyna was proud to be herself.
“Once she became who she wanted to be, which is Chyna, she lived in that and every day,” Davenport said. “She lived to be Chyna and she was happy.”
On the morning of Sunday, October 8, 2023, Long was shot and killed on Milwaukee’s northwest side. The shooting happened around 7:45 a.m. near 89th and Dogwood streets. When police arrived, they found Long, who had died at the scene. Her death marked the fourth killing of a transgender woman in Milwaukee in the past year.
In the days following the shooting, family and friends gathered for a vigil to honor Long’s infectious energy. “To know this was done to her, they truly don’t understand what they've done to our family,” her aunt said. “They took a piece of our joy.” As her family waited for justice, Milwaukee police continued their investigation and soon made an arrest.
A 29-year-old man, Antonio S. Currin, was arrested in connection with Long’s death. The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office charged him with first-degree reckless homicide and use of a dangerous weapon. As of October 2023, the case was proceeding through the court system.
