Aniya Knee Parker, 47

Anya Knee Parker, a 47-year-old transgender woman, was shot and killed Thursday, Oct. 2, in the 600 block of North Kenmore Avenue in East Hollywood, according to police and Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Parker was walking down the street shortly before 3 a.m. when she got into a dispute with three men, Los Angeles police said.

The dispute escalated, and surveillance video taken near the scene shows a struggle for Parker’s purse. Parker was shot as she tried to run away. The purse, containing $24, was left at the scene.

Parker was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 5:05 a.m., said Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations for the coroner’s office.

“This is one of those unfortunate crimes that we’re going to solve with the community’s help,” said LAPD Rampart Division Capt. Brian Pratt. The city has offered a $50,000 reward for information in Parker’s killing.

Detectives are trying to find out more information about where Parker was just before the botched robbery, and are searching for a person whom she was having a “friendly conversation with” before the crime.

Parker’s sister described her as a person who loved family and enjoyed thrift store shopping.

“We just want to know why,” said Adrian Parker at a news conference Oct. 10 at City Hall. “We didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.”

Although police don't believe Aniya Knee Parker's death was related to her gender identity, Christopher Argyros, the manager of the LA LGBT Center’s Anti-Violence Project, said transgender people are often targeted and victims of violence.

"We believe it is very possible Ms. Parker was targeted because of her identity," Argyros said.

Los Angeles is home to one of the largest transgender communities in the U.S., members of which are often on alert, Argyros said.

“Transgender people are victims of crime all the time,” he said.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call Rampart Homicide detectives at (213) 484-3623. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz

Note: The Los Angeles County coroner identified Parker as a man. Since Parker identified as a woman, The Homicide Report has done so as well.