On March 20th, 2022, Damien Ortaga, a 25 year old trans person was found unresponsive at King County Jail located in downtown Seattle. Damien Ortaga’s death is the third death of four at the King County Jail in the last 2 months, and will be added to the ever-growing list of transgender people of color who have been lost to violence or otherwise preventable deaths in 2022. Before Damien was tragically incarcerated, Damien made numerous attempts to access resources for survival and mental health. After Damien was found unresponsive in a cell at King County jail, Damien was transported to Harborview Medical Center. While at Harborview, the Court ordered Damien’s release and a day later, Damien passed.
Read More