Transgender woman pistol-whipped by man, 2 other women shot in Kensington, police say
PHILADELPHIA - Authorities are investigating a possible hate crime against a transgender woman and two others that unfolded outside a Philadelphia speakeasy last weekend.
Police say a transgender woman was brutally beaten and pistol-whipped by an attacker early Sunday morning near Rosehill and East Westmoreland streets.
"She informed the police that this person was saying very, saying very ignorant words to her that she absolutely believed it was for how she appeared, her identity how she was dressed," Transgender Advocate Deja Lynn Alvarez said.
When two people who were with the woman, a 17-year-old and 22-year-old, tried to intervene police say the attacker fired at them.
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The 17-year-old was grazed in the back of the head and the 22-year-old was shot in the arm, according to police.
FOX 29's Kelly Rule reports that the violent incident may be investigated as a hate crime.
Pennsylvania's hate crime law does not currently protect people who experience violence based on their gender-identity or sexual orientation.
"If that turns out to be correct, those are the kinds of facts that are very important in determining whether or not the intent of the crime was based upon hate or animus," Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Jim Kenney on Twitter called the reported incident "unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Philadelphia."