Acey D. Morrison, a member of the Two-Spirit Lakota Nation, was described in an obituary as a “kind-hearted, down-to-earth, joyful, respectful and loving soul.” (HRC)
A two-spirit Lakota tribe member who was shot and killed in South Dakota has been remembered for his “loving soul” and “use of laughter as medicine.”
Acey D. Morrison was found dead with gunshot wounds in a home in Rapid City, South Dakota, on August 21 after the property owner notified police, according to a local news outlet. KELO.
Law enforcement identified the suspect shortly after the shooting and confirmed the incident the investigation is still ongoing.
However, few details about Morrison’s death have been made public, and it’s unclear if charges have been filed despite the incident, which occurred nearly a month ago.
Initial news coverage and reports incident, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office found Morrison wrong, but now remembers her as a “kind, down-to-earth, joyful, respectful and loving soul,” in a heartfelt message posted on News of the native sun.
The 30-year-old is described as someone who was “always there for her family and friends” and “always had a smile for others” [faces]”.
“She used laughter as medicine and chose self-love to heal her wounds,” the tribute continued. She was the one who opened her home to you, gave you everything, and then inspired you to carry on, “this too shall pass.”
The obituary also characterized Morrison as a A person with two spirits who was “driven to succeed” as her “work ethic and openness to learning guided all of her accomplishments.”
Morrison’s death tragically marked at least the 30th violent killing of a trans, non-binary or gender non-conforming person in 2022, according to records maintained by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).
However, this figure is likely an underestimate as such deaths are often not reported or misreported – as was the case with reports of Morrison’s death.
“Obviously Acey was loved in this world. My heart goes out to those who must now mourn her absence,” said Tori Cooper, director of community engagement for HRC’s Transgender Justice Initiative.
“We are committed to ending this epidemic of gender non-conforming violence.”
In 2022, the community mourned the following people: Amari Leigh, Princess Duval, Cypress Ramos, Naomi Skinner, Matthew Angelo Spampinato, Paloma Vasquez, Tatiana Labelle, Kathryn “Kathy” Newhouse, Kenyatta “Kesha” Webster, Mia Love Parker, Feather fern, Ariana Mitchell, Raymond “Ray” Muscat, Nedra Sequence Morris,Chanelika Y’Ella Dior Hemingway, Sasha Mason, Brazil Johnson, Showmaine Giselle Marie, Kitty Monroe, Marthasia Richmond, Keshia Chanel Getter, Cherry bush, Marisela Castro, Hayden Davis, Kandi Ed, Jasper Aaron Lynch, Maddie Hoffman, Dede Ricks and Regina “Maya” Allen.
Two-Spirit person with a ‘kindhearted’ and ‘loving soul’ killed in South Dakota
