Black transgender woman in NYC arrested, charged with hate crimes after pepper spray attacks
Police suspect the 37-year-old was behind several attacks in Manhattan and the Bronx. But two of them were committed as acts of racial violence, they say
A Black transgender woman in New York is facing hate crime charges after allegedly going on a blade-wielding, racially tinged tirade, as she pepper-sprayed unsuspecting strangers Friday, the New York Daily News reports.
The woman, identified as Thomas Heard, 37, reportedly has been arrested and charged with a hate crime after attacking a husband and wife who were out shopping, according to police.
Heard reportedly screamed “I f—ing hate white people,” as she kicked and pepper-sprayed a 55-year-old man in the face, authorities said. Police say the incident occurred near her apartment in the Bronx about 2 p.m. on Friday.
Heard then struck again the next day, this time attacking a 24-year-old woman .
Heard reportedly confronted a couple about 4:30 p.m. Saturday, and said, “Are you white?” to the woman before pepper-spraying her in the face, police said.
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With a blade in hand, Heard reportedly pulled it on the woman’s boyfriend before fleeing the scene, police said.
None of the victims in either incident needed medical attention, the Daily News reported.
Heard also possibly pepper sprayed at least seven white people on Friday, according to a police report.
Police are investigating if Heard is behind the pepper-spraying of a 29-year-old man at a New York City subway station in Harlem around 11:50 a.m. Also, they want to know if the suspect also sprayed four women and a man above ground on the street, cops said.
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The attacks continued on the Manhattan’s Upper West Side, cops say. A 30-year-old woman was doused in the face on a subway platform there.
Victims in those attacks were taken to nearby hospitals, where they were treated and released.
Heard was arrested on Saturday and charged with a hate crime, weapon possession, menacing and harassment for some of the attacks.
Heard has a long rap sheet which includes at least 60 prior arrests for prostitution, public lewdness and turnstile jumping, the Daily News reports.
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