So this 21-year-old transwoman with a learning disability was walking down the street in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle on August 16. A woman with a baseball bat and a man started following her.
The woman with the bat accosted the soon-to-be victim and said, according to the police report, “I don’t want to see you around the skate bowl anymore.” The skate bowl referred to is at the Ballard Commons Park.
Then the woman bashed the transwoman on the side of her head with the bat.
The nature of the injury was not immediately apparent, so the victim did not initially seek medical treatment. She was admitted to the hospital on August 20, at which time her parents notified police. The report from hospital staff is that the victim suffered a subdural hematoma, a potentially fatal brain injury with symptoms that can by slow to become apparent. As part of the victim’s treatment a portion of her skull was removed.
The victim’s father, Tad Anderson, has written to a Ballard community blog asking for assistance in gathering information about the suspect. My Ballard has the story.
Police spokesman Mark Jamieson said the attack has been classified as an “aggravated assault”. A Violent Crimes detective was assigned to the case…9 days later. Currently, the case is listed as inactive with the Seattle Police Department, according to one report.
We just don’t have enough information at this time to know if this is a quote-unquote hate crime. Just because the victim is a transgendered person does not necessarily mean it was a bias crime.
–Jamieson
Quote-unquote hate crime??? Excuse me? Do you not take hate seriously, Mr. Jamieson?
Just because the victim was a transwoman with a learning disability who was drifting in and out of consciousness when she was interviewed and didn’t say the quote-unquote magic words doesn’t mean it was not a hate crime, Mr. Jamieson.
Police and prosecutors would need evidence that the attack was prompted by the victim’s gender identity and that the attack was not, for example, something personal between the two women.
Clearly it was personal to the victim…WHOSE HEAD WAS BASHED IN!!!
Tiva is very reluctant to talk about the incident to us (her parents). We have learned through others that the woman who attacked her was also harassing her from dressing in female clothing, saying, ‘You should not be wearing those clothes’ (or words to that effect).
–Tad Anderson
Seattle Police spokesman Detective Mark Jamieson says the case is not being investigated as a hate crime because Tiva did not tell police she was attacked because she’s transgender. Jamieson says a detective interviewed Tiva after surgery and she was “drifting in and out of sleep during the interview,” the police report said. Jamieson said he did not know if there are any plans to interview her again.
Tiva has limited social skills at the best of times, according to her parents. Tad and Cindy Anderson are trying to assemble a team to help with her recovery. She is expected to fully recover physically, but is reported to be emotionally fragile since the attack.
This is really getting to be too much. Tranny down. Go about your business.
Can I direct your attention to Jamie McGonnigal’s essay in LGBTQNation: If a transgender person is murdered and no one notices, did it happen?
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