Transgender Woman Beaten in Virginia

From NBC Washington:

“At least four attackers ganged up and beat a transgender woman on Saturday.

Speaking exclusively to NBC4’s Julie Carey, the victim, who does not want to be identified, said she thought she’d die in the attack.

“The first time I feared for my life,” the 32-yearold victim said, “is when I actually got knocked out.”

The attack happened on Saturday afternoon, outside of a 7-Eleven in Fredericksburg.  Four attackers backed the transgender woman against a wall and began to beat her, with fists, kicks, and a metal broom handle.

The victim said throughout the beating that her attackers shouted slurs mocking her transgender status.  She said that before the attack, she had an argument with one of the attacker’s relatives about a dog.

The fight was broken up by neighbors, who came to the parking lot where the attack was happening.  The victim said that her next door neighbor laid her body over top of her, to shield her from the blows.

The victim suffered wounds to her face, mouth, and bruising about her body.  Witnesses caught the license plate of the fleeing suspects.

Charged with malicious wounding by mob are 18-year-old Laquita Webb and 19-year-old Farkeem French.  Police are searching for two other suspects, also believed to be in their teens.

“It hurts, it really hurts to get treated like a dog,” she said, “and thats the way I feel like I was treated, like a stray animal.”

Another transgender woman was attacked outside of Baltimore this year, inside a McDonalds.  That attack was caught on video.”