Man pleads not guilty in Renton attack on transgender woman
Sep 25, 2025, 4:42 PM | Updated: 4:46 pm
A 25-year-old man arrested in connection with the violent assault of a transgender woman in Renton pleaded not guilty.
Ranmore Edwards, 25, pleaded not guilty to assault and hate crime charges.
He’s being held on $300,000 bail after prosecutors cited public safety concerns, but will be back in court next month.
“Despite the defendant’s lack of criminal history, the state would ask bail be maintained, given concerns for the safety of the community,” King County prosecutor Bryce McPhee said.
He turned himself in after a family member recognized his photo on the Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound website, convincing him to surrender, authorities said.
“These are very violent charges, and it is the alleged brutality and the alleged animus which gives me the greatest concern in this case,” Judge David Keenan said.
4 arrested in connection with Renton attack on transgender woman
Edwards was arrested with three other people regarding the attack, according to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors on Tuesday charged a 16-year-old boy and a 25-year-old man in the September 15 attack.
Last Friday, two brothers, ages 15 and 17, who are also charged in the case, pleaded not guilty.
All three teenagers are being held under electronic home monitoring.
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Group of teens made homophobic remarks during Renton assault
The victim, 39-year-old Nikki Armstrong, a transgender woman from Renton, told police she was at the Renton Transit Center and noticed a group of eight to 10 boys harassing people.
She apparently said something to the boys to try to get them to stop.
Police said Armstrong went to a nearby establishment and about three hours later, passed through the transit center again and came across the same group of boys.
At that time, there was another verbal exchange. Homophobic slurs were hurled at her as they followed her back to the establishment.
“She felt unsafe, so she went back to the establishment trying to get help, where she tripped on something and landed on the ground, and that’s when the group jumped on her,” Meeghan Black, spokesperson for the Renton Police Department, said.
A photo of the injuries suffered in the attack in Renton. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
The group of boys beat her and stomped on her face, breaking her nose and eye socket.
A GoFundMe account has been set up for Armstrong to cover her injuries.
This story was originally published on September 23, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.
Contributing: KIRO 7
