The family of McKinsley LaKeith Lincoln, 29, are seeking justice after the openly gay man was found dead from gunshot wounds on the morning of May,15 at the intersection of Louisiana and Day Street in Alexandria, Louisiana. Lincoln's family filed a missing persons report after he'd been missing for 24 hours, only to have their worst fear realized after the discovery of his body by the Alexandria Police Department within hours of filing the report.
According to the National Black Justice Coalition (NBJC), The Lincoln family was not immediately notified and first learned of his death from the media and through phone calls from neighbors. NBJC also says that Lincoln's family has been forced to make sense of the murder with little, proactive, communication with the Alexandria Police Department.
“McKinsley is an openly gay man and was the target of harassment and discrimation,” said Pamela Lincoln, McKinsley’s mother. “The police have a responsibility to ensure justice for the people of this parish. They have not done enough to fulfill their oath. They haven’t protected and served us.”
NBJC contacted civil rights attorneys Benjamin Crump and Jasmine Rand and Louisiana State Representative and attorney Edward C. “Ted” James to raise awareness, ask questions, and ensure that there is a full and complete investigation into the murder of Lincoln. Within 24 hours Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall confirmed the Alexandria Police Department has agreed to act diligently to investigate surrounding facts and circumstances and is investigating the murder of McKinsley Lincoln as a hate crime.
David Johns, Executive Director of NBJC is calling for Mayor Hall and the Alexandria Police Department to conduct a complete and full investigation into the murder of Lincoln. Johns issued the following statement on Lincoln's murder:
“This tragic incident should be a reminder that hate crimes against Black LGBTQ and same gender loving people happen too frequently—often without the national public outcry that our heterosexual brothers and sisters receive. In 2018 alone, over 1,500 hate crimes based on bias against someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity were reported. And the violence is escalating. There was more than a 18 percent increase in these hate crimes from 2016 to 2018 and the FBI reports an 11 percent increase in anti-Black hate crimes during the same period.
“We should all be clear about the fact that hate crimes against people of every racial and ethnic category increased across the board after the 2016 election. Trump has escalated the violence with racist rhetoric and destructive policies designed to divide and keep some of us locked out of access to opportunity. The clearest consequences of these deleterious actions are evident in these examples of vitriol, violence, and death.
Not one member of our beautifully diverse community should experience violence, discrimiantion, or be murdered as a result of who we are or how we show up in the world. Each of us has a role to play in ensuring that we create a strong and inclusive community.”
The Human Rights Campaign, now under the leadership of the organizations first Black President, David Johns, also issued a statement on Lincoln's murder.
Editor's Note: Living Out Loud 2.0 is not aware of how Lincoln identified or which pronouns they preferred. All reporting, including press releases have referred to Lincoln using male pronouns. If anyone close to Lincoln can provide more information regarding this matter, please don't hesitate to reach out. We'd like to honor their memory accurately and with compassion.
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