Hate Motive Probed in Stabbing of 2 Transgender People

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/27/AR2009082701724.html

Two transgender people who were stabbed Wednesday, one fatally, in Northwest Washington might have been victims of a hate crime, D.C. police said, although investigators have not yet determined what led to the violence.

The victims, one of whom suffered lacerations that were not considered life-threatening, were found bleeding in the 200 block of Q Street shortly after 2:30 p.m. The incident is being investigated as a potential hate crime based on "a shred of information" that detectives obtained from the survivor, according to acting Lt. Brett Parsons, the department's top liaison to the city's gay community.

The surviving victim told a detective that the attacker might have used an anti-gay epithet during the incident, Parsons said. But it would be "extremely premature" for authorities to definitively classify the crime as having been motivated by the victims' gender identity, he added.

"Until we're able to do a really detailed interview with the surviving victim, I'm not sure that anyone really knows," Parsons said.

Police identified the dead victim as Joshua Mack, 21, of the 7500 block of Clinton Vista Lane in Clinton. Parsons said Mack was born a biological male but was living full-time as a female, using a street name that sounded like "Nanny Boo." Mack was pronounced dead at Howard University Hospital.

The other victim, also a biological male living as a female, suffered "serious lacerations" that required immediate medical treatment, Parsons said.

I saw the headline on my phone. I hope they get the fucker who did this.

because people need to pay attention.

probably because I've known too many transgendered people who have ended up beaten or stabbed or otherwise abused for the crime of being different.

It's damnably painful to learn it happens, and happens everywhere.