TAMPA—The transgender death of India Clarke, 35, has left Hillsborough County detectives baffled as to the motive behind the murder. The woman was found near the basketball courts at the University Area Community Center early this week, dead from blunt force trauma.

India Clarke is the tenth transgender person, the ninth of color, to be murdered this year in the U.S.

While it is heartbreaking for family and friends, it’s also a tough loss for organizations like Metro Wellness in St. Pete, that are fighting toward better education and equality for all who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

They only hope Clarke’s death will continue their efforts toward acceptance, saying no one should die for who they are.

“It’s a very difficult day for those who are trans advocates and the LGBT community in Tampa Bay and really across the nation,” said Nathan Bruemmer, member of the TransAction Florida Advisory Board.

Bruemmer is transgender and knows how easy it is to feel unsafe.

“Even if it isn’t the atrocity of someone losing their life, we have folks that are victims of violence on a daily basis everywhere in this country for just being trans…and that’s not acceptable,” said Bruemmer.

Photos Credit: nydailynews.com