Transgender woman beaten by mob outside store in broad daylight in Virginia

Links234

http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2011/052011/05242011/628451

Four people beat up a Fredericksburg woman in a convenience-store parking lot Saturday afternoon, possibly because of her sexual orientation.
City police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the attack took place about 3:30 p.m. outside the 7-Eleven at 3300 Fall Hill Ave. Laqueta Webb, 18, has been charged with malicious wounding by mob and placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail under no bond. Bledsoe said police are still investigating three male suspects and had identified two of them by last night.

According to Bledsoe, the 32-year-old victim reported that she was walking when the suspects surrounded her and began taunting her.
They then began hitting her with fists, feet and a broken-off metal broom handle that had been lying on the ground. A number of people witnessed the attack and some came to her aid after the incident. The suspects left in two vehicles, a red Saturn and a black Dodge Charger. Bledsoe said the man in the Saturn pulled up as the attack was in progress, and joined in.

Bledsoe said the victim suffered noticeable facial injuries and wounds to her hands and hands, but declined medical treatment. She named two of her assailants, including Webb, who was arrested at her home in nearby Heritage Park. The victim also provided the complete license-plate numbers of the two fleeing vehicles.

Bledsoe said the victim told police that the attack was spurred at least in part because she is a transgender person. Earlier Saturday, the victim exchanged words with a teenage neighbor regarding the victim's dog getting loose. The neighbor made comments about the victim's transgender status, the victim told police. At least one of the suspects in the attack is related to the teenager from the earlier dispute, Bledsoe said.

The victim was taunted about her sexuality during the beating, police said.
Bledsoe said that even if police determine that the woman's sexual orientation led to the attack, it won't affect any charges because Virginia's hate-crime laws do not cover sexual orientation. Bledsoe said the victim told police that she has lived in Bragg Hill for two years and has enjoyed it for the most part. But she said she plans to move now because she no longer feels safe there.

Links234

Woman Beaten In Broad Daylight

Beating Shakes Neighborhood

Friends, neighbors and witnesses to the mob-like beating of a Bragg Hill area resident say they are shocked at the senseless brutality visited upon the victim during the weekend incident.

"We're all like family and we watch out for each other" on their end of Hickock Street, where the victim lives, says Sharon Forsyth, friend and neighbor of the victim. "We are downright pissed at what happened to her."

"I've never seen anything so malicious as the attack on her," said Forsyth. "They did what they did to her because she is transgender."

The incident began as a woman and two men started arguing with the victim in the parking lot of the 7-11 on Saturday afternoon. Police say the three assailants surrounded the victim, taunting her before forcing her to the ground. Once on the ground, police say the victim was struck with hands, feet and a discarded metal broom stick.

"They were doing it with smiles on their faces," said Forsyth. "I'll never forget it, it was like a party to them."

wonderfulname

Sexual orientation... I mean really, what happened to research being a key aspect of journalism?

EDIT: I should probably comment on the actual story, Links, your doing a good job of making me very disappointed in the human race posting these. I'm especially horrified at this one.

Links234

wonderfulname wrote: »

Sexual orientation... I mean really, what happened to research being a key aspect of journalism?

Considering how trans people can quite often be misgendered in news, it's good to see her gender is actually respected, even if they do make such a slip-up. it could've been so much worse, they could've referred to her as male, crossdresser etc.

wonderfulname wrote: »

Links, your doing a good job of making me very disappointed in the human race posting these.

Sorry about that. I'll try post something positive another time. Promise.

G.K.

Humans sicken me sometimes. Just because they can't cope with the concept of GID doesn't mean they should treat us, the ones who actually have it, like crap.

hare05

Sometimes I wish I could just find these people personally. No honorable duel, no wasting time to make them suffer, just do it quick and stop these filth from hurting decent people. :mad: