Tee Arnold, A Black Trans Man Remembered for His “Good Energy,” Killed in Florida
This article contains discussion of fatal violence against a Black transgender person.
Tee Arnold, a Black transgender man also known to his friends and family as Lagend Billions, was shot in Hallandale Beach, Florida on April 3. Arnold died from his injuries in HCA Florida Aventura Hospital on April 7. He was 36 years old.
According to ABC affiliate WPLG, Arnold was shot near a shopping complex at around 1:30 a.m., and was transported to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital in critical condition. He died four days later. Police told WPLG that they do not believe the shooting was a hate crime, but rather an “isolated incident,” adding they had identified a woman who knew Arnold as one suspect. In a Facebook post on the night of April 1, just over 24 hours before the shooting, Arnold wrote that someone had placed “a reward on [his] head” and said they wanted to kill him.
Arnold attended Miami Central Senior High School and went on to study at Florida Memorial University, a Baptist and historically Black university (HBCU), according to his social media profiles. In social media posts reviewed by Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents (PLC), friends and family mourned Arnold’s “greatness, laughter, and good energy,” recalling his compassion and willingness to help during difficult times.
Arnold’s death marks at least the ninth violent death of a trans person in the U.S. in 2024, per a running total maintained by PLC. He is also the second known Black trans man to be shot and killed this year, following the death of Righteous Torrence “Chevy” Hill in Atlanta on February 29.
Friends and family have taken to social media to pay tribute to his life.
Black and LGBTQ+ activists mourned Arnold’s death while also condemning Florida Republicans for creating a hostile environment for trans people. In early March, GOP representatives passed three anti-trans bills in a single day, escalating the party’s culture war against gender-affirming healthcare, workplace discrimination, and teachers’ rights.
“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,” said Victoria Kirby York, director of public policy and programs at the National Black Justice Coalition (NBCJ), in a press release obtained by The Advocate.
York noted that Arnold had “posted that his life was in danger,” arguing “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,” she said.
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