A group of lesbian and transgender women say they were verbally attacked and then assaulted after leaving an event in Wynwood last month. NBC6’s Jamie Guirola reports
A group of lesbian and transgender women say they were verbally attacked and then assaulted after leaving an event in Wynwood last month.
Some of the Nov. 26 beatdown was caught on video that Miami Police are also looking into as part of their investigation. Police confirm they are investigating the case as a possible hate crime.
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“This group of guys, basically, they just started screaming stuff at us, anti-lesbian comments, like, 'you’re only lesbians because you haven’t received actual' and he used a profanity word … out of nowhere," said one of the victims.
The group of women consisted of lesbians and a transgender person. In the video, the victims are heard pleading to stop the fighting and that they’ve called the cops. Two men wearing white shirts are seen swinging at a man who is trying to stick up for the group of women.
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One victim, who asked not to be identified, is seen on video getting punched three times — and eventually gets knocked out. She says the guys who attacked them started hurling gay slurs before getting violent.
“I know that I had a messed up finger from the incident, they struck me in the jaw, I may have a hairline fracture, and I may need to have surgery. It’s been a very difficult time, plus not to add the nightmares of feeling attacked and seeing my friend on the floor nonresponsive with blood,” said the victim.
Her badly beaten friend also spoke to NBC6. She doesn’t remember much about what happened because she was also punched and lost consciousness.
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“I definitely felt targeted for sure, I mean they were definitely trying to hate on the fact that we were gay. I don't know why, I don't understand to this day why," said another victim.
The victims believe the men who attacked them were professional fighters and gave police the identity of one of them.
“We are actively working on the case. Like any investigation, we have to dot the I’s and cross the T's," Miami Police told NBC6 in a statement. "We are working with our LGBTQ+ liaison and SAO hate crime task force. We have to make sure we have everything lined up before we initiate our arrest(s)."
It's welcome news from victims who say they just want justice.
“It’s very concerning to see that they are still out and about and free and nothing has happened to them yet," said a victim.
