Biden marks 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s murder, noting increased threats, violence targeting LGBTQ Americans

President Biden warned Thursday of increasing violence against the LGBTQ community in remarks commemorating the 25th anniversary of the killing of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming who was brutally attacked and later died of his injuries in one of the most notorious anti-gay hate crimes in U.S. history.

“Matthew’s tragic and senseless murder shook the conscience of the American people,” Biden said in a statement. “And his courageous parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, turned Matthew’s memory into a movement, galvanizing millions of people to combat the scourge of anti-LGBTQI+ hate and violence in America.”

Shepard’s parents are the co-founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which seeks to amplify his story.