Denver Cops Kill Queer Latina; Activists Storm Conference Till Mayor Cancels

In retaliation for the killing of a queer Latina by Denver police last week, activists stormed an LGBT conference, causing the mayor to cancel his planned address.

The Advocate reports that Denver Mayor Michael Hancock would not deliver his planned speech to the National LGBTQ Task Force's annual Creating Change conference after more than 100 trans people and allies stormed the stage on the evening of Thursday, February 5, demanding justice for the fatal shooting of one of their own.

Denver police shot and killed the 17-year-old, unarmed girl at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, January 26, as she was joyriding in a stolen car with other teens, as reported by The Advocate. The police claim the teen, who friends say was a lesbian, struck an officer with the car, fracturing his leg and prompting them to open fire.

Four other teenagers who were in the car were taken into custody at the time, some of whom claim the officers dragged Hernandez's body from the car and proceeded to search and handcuff her before offering medical attention. Other witnesses told Denver's KUSA TV that police fired first, and the car only struck the officer after the wounded drive lost control of the vehicle.

"When the cops walked up, they were on [Hernandez's] side of the car, and they shot the window and they shot her," a witness who was reportedly in the car during the shooting told KUSA. "That's when she wrecked, and that's when the cop got hit."

Task Force deputy executive director Russell Roybal and Creating Change director Sue Hyde had spoke on the killing, and emcee Kate Clinton had been introduced when the activists, led by Bamby Salcedo, stormed the stage of the downtown Denver Sheraton with homemade signs, chanting, "Jessie Presente!"

"If you serve us, you need to include us," said Salcedo to a cheering crowd raising their fists in solidarity. Salcedo demanded better accountability from police and the criminal justice system, and called on LGBT organizations to include transgender people on their boards and staffs.

Roybal thanked the activists for the demonstration, and then told the crowd that Mayor Hancock would not address the crowd as planned. But the evening continued with a scheduled discussion between Color of Change executive director Rashad Robinson and Race Forward executive director Runku Sen on police brutality and the racially charged actions that followed the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.

"We have a history of violence by oppression -- they shoot you -- or violence of neglect," Sen said.

"We had a whole speech planned, but now is not the time for speeches -- it's the time for action," said the three co-creators of #blacklivesmatter as they accepted the Empress I Jose Sarria Award for uncommon leadership. They then read the names of at least a dozen transgender women who were killed this year in the United States, which was followed by three minutes of silence.