Two transgender women were attacked Saturday in the District in unrelated incidents. This follows the shooting and stabbing of two other transgender women in recent days, leading lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender activists to hold a community response meeting.
Just after 4 a.m. Saturday, two men approached a transgender woman near Fifth and K streets NE and attempted to rob her, according to a release from the Metropolitan Police Department. One of the suspects produced a gun and fired at the woman, who was taken to a hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
Police are looking for a black male, between the ages of 19 and 20, with a light complexion and dreadlocks who was last seen wearing a white shirt, red jacket around his waist, and jeans. The other suspect was described by police as a black male with a dark complexion.
NBC4 has details about the other crime:
In the sexual assault case, police say a transgender woman was walking in the 300 block of 61st Street, NE at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday when she accepted a ride from a man she didn’t know. Once she was inside the car, she was sexually assaulted, police said.
The suspect in that case is described as a man, between the ages of 30 and 35, who has a stocky build, light complexion and mustache.
The Saturday attacks follow the Thursday shooting of a transgender woman in the 500 block of Eastern Avenue SE after an attempted robbery. Police have released video showing a person of interest in the case.
Another transgender woman was stabbed up to 40 times by an acquaintance in an abandoned home in Southeast just over a week ago. A suspect has been arrested in that case and charged with assault with intent to kill.
As the Washington Blade reported, LGBT activists, as well as MPD Capt. Edward Delgado and Councilmember Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), gathered Friday for a “community response” meeting. Also discussed was the killing of “out lesbian” Malika Stover on June 22 and the attack of gay drag performer Miles Denaro at a Manny and Olga’s pizza shop on June 23.
