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Vigils remembering Minnesotan Sam Nordquist popped up across a small community in New York, days after officials there announced his death.

“It really stirred up a lot of commotion,” said 

 a New-York based reporter who covered Nordquist’s story with Spectrum News. “The whole situation really struck up a lot of concern, a lot of fear.”

Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old Black transgender man, was 

 in the fall of 2024 after connecting on TikTok. It was supposed to be a two-week trip to upstate New York, but he never returned. The case involving seven defendants has garnered a lot of local attention. 

So much so that Damiani said that when Nordquist’s family drove to New York in March, they weren’t only greeted by prosecutors and investigators, but also strangers concerned about Nordquist’s story. 

“It just fascinates me every single time when we think about everything that the community has tried to do to support them,” she said.

“There's always been a handful of Nordquist family supporters, one of which always has the family on FaceTime,” Damiani said.  

On Canandaigua Lake, near Hopewell, N.Y., where Nordquist was staying, there’s a growing willow tree. It serves as a growing memorial for the community in memory of Nordquist, Damiani said. 

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A community in New York has rallied behind a Minnesota family whose son was violently killed. 

Small New York community rallied around Sam Nordquist's family after his death

A person holds a sign reading "#justiceforsam"

Small New York community rallied around Sam Nordquist's family after his death

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