Two transgender women were stabbed in the abdomen today in the 200 block of Q Street NW, FOX 5 is reporting. The stabbing occurred around 3 p.m. When police arrived, the victims were found lying outside of a building. Both women were taken to the hospital, where one died. The condition of the other victim is unknown. Further information—-the victims’ identities, potential suspects, and the circumstances of the crime—-have not been released.
UPDATE: “Sources” told News4’s Jackie Benson “the two may have been fighting.”
UPDATE: According to the Washington Blade‘s Lou Chibbaro, the two victims of today’s stabbing were transgender women, not transgender men as was previously reported on NBC Washington, WUSA9, FOX 5, and this blog (it’s since been corrected). Here’s Chibbaro’s reporting:
Police Chief Cathy Lanier, who spoke at the scene, told reporters that investigators were looking for nearby residents who might have witnessed the stabbings. She referred to the victims as “persons” and declined to disclose their gender.
A police spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny that the victims were transgender.
Lanier said investigators did not immediately know the motive behind the stabbings.
A law enforcement source described the victims as male-to-female transgender people, with one believed to be 18 years old and the other believed to be 27.
NBC Washington, WUSA9, and FOX5 are still reporting the two stabbing victims as “transgender men” or “transgender males.” I’m not sure if the confusion stemmed from the anonymous police sources or from the reporters themselves, but I’ll try to find out more tomorrow.
UPDATE: The stabbing was covered in today’s Washington Post. According to reporter Paul Duggan, the description of the victims as “transgender males” came from police sources. Duggan also named the victim who died in the stabbing:
Police said the victims, whom they described as “transgender males,” were stabbed about 2:30 p.m. in the 200 block of Q Street NW. Each was taken from the scene by ambulance, and one was pronounced dead at Howard University Hospital, police said.
The man who died was identified Wednesday night as Joshua Mack, 21, of the 7300 block of Clinton Vista Lane in Clinton. The other victim’s name was not released.
A police spokesman said it was not clear whether the men were attacked or were in a fight with each other.
UPDATE: Here is the MPD’s official press release on the stabbing:
Detectives assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are currently investigating a homicide which occurred this afternoon on Q Street, NW .
On Wednesday, August 26, 2009, at approximately 2:33 pm, officers assigned to the Fifth District and DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department personnel responded the 200 block of Q Street, NW for the report of an aggravated assault. Upon arrival, they located two adults suffering from apparent stab wounds in front of 209 Q Street .
One of the victims was transported to Howard University Hospital and pronounced dead at 3:02 pm.
The identity of the victim is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of-kin.
The second victim was transported to an area hospital and admitted in stable condition for treatment of apparently non-life-threatening injuries. The identity of this victim is being withheld due to witness status.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police at (202) 727-9099 or 1-888-919-CRIM[E] (1-888-919-2746) .
The Metropolitan Police Department is currently offering a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia.
Anonymous information may also be forwarded to DC Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS and to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. If the information provided by a caller to Crime Solvers leads to an arrest and indictment, that caller will be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
UPDATE: A vigil has been planned for Friday evening for the victim, Joshua Mack.