CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – North Charleston police say a man has turned himself in to face charges for the murder of a transgender woman.
Sunday, Dominick Archield, 34, from North Charleston, turned himself into North Charleston Police to face charges for the murder of Denali Berries Stuckey.
Archield will be held in the Al Cannon Detention Center and will have a bond hearing Monday.
Stuckey was found dead on the side of Carner Avenue on July 20 just after 4 a.m. North Charleston police say Stuckey died as a result of gunshot wounds.
The Charleston transgender community is responding after the one of their sisters was shot and killed on July 20.
According to North Charleston Police, they found 29-year-old Denali Stuckey on the side of the street near the 2700 block of Carner Avenue. She was dead from an apparent gunshot wound.
The Alliance for Full Acceptance (AFFA) stated that Stuckley identified as transgender and her name was Denali Berries Stuckey.
The executive director of the AFFA sent out a statement saying:
“I am heartbroken and outraged by the news of yet another murder of one of our transgender community members. Denali is the third known black trans woman to have been murdered in South Carolina since 2018. While the greater community may be either unaware or disinterested in this news, it is important to understand the epidemic of violence against trans women of color and the crisis point at which we are now and have been for years.
Chase Glenn, Executive Director, AFFA
Recently, the Transgender Law Center and Southerners on New Ground released the Grapevine Report showing just how widespread violence against the transgender community is in the South. 58% of transgender women and femmes (an identity or presentation that leans towards femininity) surveyed reported experiencing high levels of violence by strangers.
In this moment, we are focused on our responsibility to honor and memorialize Denali as she chose to identify herself, while raising much-needed awareness among the general public about the violence perpetrated against the transgender community— and more specifically trans women of color. We refuse to become numb. We will continue to say the names of these women and remember them how they would have wanted to be remembered. “
The North Charleston Police Department followed up with a statement of their own that reads:
“The North Charleston Police Department recognizes, respects and protects the rights of all citizens regardless of race, religion, gender, or beliefs, and will continue working to ensure all citizens are treated fairly and courteously.”
North Charleston Police Department
According to the police, the shooting is being investigated as a homicide.
AFFA, Charleston Pride, We Are Family, Charleston Area Transgender Support, Charleston Black Pride, SC Equality and other community leaders are planning a vigil in memory of Denali on Monday, July 22 at 8:00 p.m at the Equality Hub (1801 Reynolds Avenue, North Charleston).