At nearly midnight this past Sunday, a transgender woman was walking with her gay male friend on Bushwick Avenue when they were confronted by a group of four men. They especially targeted the transwoman. While shouting anti-gay and anti-trans expletives and asked why she was on their block before they struck her about the head until she fell and then proceeded to kick and strike her head with a piece of plexiglas, causing severe head trauma.
The victim, as yet unidentified by police, was taken to Elmhurst hospital, after a Good Samaritan flagged down a passing police car. She remains in critical condition.
It's really saddening to hear about that, that it would happen to someone.
It's is a little scary thinking about it now, being this open and in this open of an area.
--Melissa Sbrocco, Bushwick resident
Two of the perpetrators were seen on a security camera in a nearby bodega. They were two black males, one wearing a grey sleeveless sweatshirt ironically bearing the word "Freedom", grey sweatpants and a ski cap, and the other with close cut hair wearing a blue Nike hoodie and blue sweatpants.
Activists say there is no doubt about the motivation for the attack.
I think it's very clear that this was an attack because she was a transgender woman. The nature of the slurs against her and the fact that the fight did not escalate to physical violence until they realized she was transgender indicate that this was a hate crime.
--Kate Barnhart, New Alternatives for Homeless LGBT Youth
The 28-year-old victim was described as "a very intelligent, creative, artistic soul from Utah, of Native American descent."
I'm just overwhelmed because this young woman came to New York from Utah to make a life for herself in a community where she would be safe as a transgender person, and she came all this way only to find violence instead of safety.
It's like a sister falling aside because of somebody that wants to hate and wants to bash on our community.
The victim did suffer traumatic brain injury and underwent surgery to remove a portion of her skull to allow her brain to swell without causing further injury. She is breathing unassisted. It is unknown whether she has suffered permanent brain damage.
The victim's friend managed to escape without injury.
A few weeks ago another bias attack happened just blocks from his one.
There was a group of boys that starting making comments like expletive, tranny, gay, all of these derogatory terms.
Two years ago, I got jumped. Four months ago, I got stabbed. Two months later, I got shot. I identify myself in any way possible. Today, I can be a guy. Tomorrow, I can be a girl.
--22-year-old shooting victim
Every attack, every murder, the whole purpose is to keep us silent, to keep us from transitioning, and they're very effective.
--Brooke Cerda, transgender activist
There was a rally held last night.
Police are investigating the attack as a hate crime.