Why isn’t Sam Nordquist’s murder being treated as a hate crime? [Video]

WARNING: This story contains mention of torture and violence.

The brutal murder of 24-year-old Sam Nordquist, a transgender man killed in New York state after being tortured for more than a month in a crime law enforcement have called “beyond depraved,” has sparked vigils across the U.S. and in Canada as the 2SLGBTQ+ community mourns.

Although the horrific details of the case have drawn scrutiny from officials and trans advocates, police are cautioning against speculation about the perpetrators’ motives, saying there’s no evidence at this stage that this was a hate crime — noting that the suspects and Nordquist knew one another and identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

But as the investigation unfolds against the backdrop of the Trump administration’s cuts to legal protections for trans people, trans advocates suggest it’s crucial that all motivations for the crime be examined at a time when members of their community are especially vulnerable.

Seven people have been charged with second-degree murder under the …