A member of the LGBT community has been shot dead in California.

Imer Eliu Alvarado, 34, was shot multiple times just before 3am on Wednesday morning in Fresno County.

Police Chief Jerry Dyer said the circumstances of the homicide meant that a hate crime could not be ruled out as a motive, according to local paper the Fresno Bee.

Alvarado was identified both as a gay man and a trans woman in reports of his murder.

Friends have since told local TV station abc30 that Alvarado was dressed in drag.

The murder took place several blocks from Alibi, a Fresno gay bar which Alvarado checked into on Facebook the night before.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Coroner identified Alvarado as a man, but the city’s police department reported they were dressed as a woman at the time of the murder.

Lt. David Madrigal said detectives are investigating and going over video evidence, “but do not have a lead on a suspect.”

Police reported that no-one dialled 911 to call them to the scene, despite the sound of multiple gunshots.

Zoyer Zyndel, co-chair of Trans-E-Motion, a support and advocacy group for trans people in Fresno, cut through discussions about Alvarado’s gender.

“Clearly this person is a member of the LGBT community,” he said.

“The real issue is they were gunned down.

“We intend to follow this case and make sure there is some accountability on the part of the perpetrator.

“If you don’t know (the gender of the victim), say you don’t know.”

Trans-E-Motion has held a memorial for Alvarado, lighting candles and releasing butterflies.

A statement on the group’s Facebook page read: “Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Imer Alvarado.

“We honour and respect his life. May he rest in power and in peace”.

Last month in Idaho, murderer Kelly Schneider was handed another life sentence in federal court.

Schneider had previously been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to beating a gay man to death.