ABOVE: Photo via Washington Blade.
D.C. police are seeking help from the public in identifying and locating several suspects who attacked and assaulted a transgender woman on Friday, July 9, in the 3100 block of Georgia Avenue, N.W.
“At approximately 2:25 a.m., the victim was approached by multiple suspects at the listed location,” according to a police statement. “The suspects began to assault the victim, after they questioned the victim’s gender identity, causing significant injuries,” the statement says.
It says the suspects fled the scene and, according to a separate police incident report, the victim flagged down police officers “while bleeding from the face.” The police statement, which was released on the day of the incident, says the victim was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Although neither the police statement issued as a press release, nor the public incident report identified the victim as a trans woman, D.C. transgender activist Earline Budd told the Washington Blade she knows the victim and confirmed the victim identifies as a transgender woman. Budd said the victim has been released from the hospital.
“Anyone who has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at 202-727-9099 or text your tip to the Department’s TEXT TIP LINE at 50411,” the police statement says. The statement adds that the department’s Crime Solvers program offers a reward of up to $1,000 to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and indictment of individuals responsible for a crime in D.C.
“The Metropolitan Police Department of Washington is investigating this offense as potentially being motivated by hate or bias,” says the statement. It says the department’s Special Liaison Branch, which includes the department’s LGBT Liaison Unit, is assisting Fourth District police detectives with the investigation.
Budd said other anti-transgender assaults have taken place in the recent past at the location of Georgia Avenue near Irving Street, N.W., where the latest incident occurred.
In response to incidents involving assaults and other serious crimes such as this one, D.C. police routinely approach nearby businesses and homes to obtain video from security cameras to look for images of suspects involved in crimes. D.C. police routinely release photos taken from the video footage to seek help from the public in identifying suspects.
