Hate crimes related to gender expression or perceived sexual orientation on track to surpass 2024 numbers in King County

King County is just two cases away from beating last year’s total number of hate crimes involving gender expression or perceived sexual orientation, and it is only April, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office confirmed Monday.

“I think people are just acting more hateful, particularly with hate crimes that focus on somebody’s gender expression perceived sexual orientation,” Casey McNerthney, spokesperson for the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, told KIRO Newsradio.

The latest alleged hate crime attack happened against a transgender person in King County March 27 in Seattle’s University District. According to obtained court documents, the victim was leaving work at a hardware store along University Way when a group of men called her “a drag queen” and told her to “take your f****** makeup off.”

The victim responded by saying, “Excuse me, what did you say?” according to the Seattle Police Department (SPD). She then took out her cell phone to take photos of the suspects. Prosecutors said the suspects then began to punch and kick the victim. Eventually, the victim escaped the alleged attack and ran inside a restaurant across the street.

During the attack, according to court documents, the suspects called the victim homophobic slurs and continually misgendered the victim by saying “get him” and calling the victim “bro.” Prosecutors also said the suspects yelled “Semper Fi” multiple times, referring to the U.S. Marine Corps motto. The victim told the suspects that she was a decorated Navy veteran. However, prosecutors said at least one suspect responded, saying, “Trump got rid of your a** anyways and kicked you all out of the military,” referring to President Trump’s order to end transgender acceptance in the military.

The attack left the victim bruised and bleeding and with multiple broken front teeth.

King County is TWO #hatecrimes away from beating their 2024 record… and it’s only April. The latest in the #Seattle U District… suspect punched victim for allegedly being #transgender More on the suspects 13 felony arrests on @KIRONewsradio and @Mynorthwest pic.twitter.com/PsAnxInrck

— Luke Duecy (@LukeKIRO) April 14, 2025

Why are hate crimes rising locally?

McNerthney couldn’t pinpoint one cause of the county’s apparent rise in hate crimes.

“I don’t know if they see things on a national level and think they can get away with,” McNerthney said. “Either way, when we get those cases, we’re going to keep bringing them to court.”

Police said surveillance video from a nearby business captured the suspects’ vehicle license plate. According to investigators, a responding officer recognized the plate from a domestic violence report she took one day earlier that involved Andre Karlow, 39. Police said Karlow assaulted his girlfriend inside a Seattle apartment they shared. He allegedly used a hammer to smash a hole in a dining room table before throwing a can of food at his girlfriend, hitting her in the ribcage. Police also shared that he also stole his girlfriend’s laptop computer.

Police said they tracked Karlow to the parking lot of that apartment, but when the suspect saw officers approach, he ran inside his unit. Officers surrounded the apartment and, according to court documents, police obtained a search warrant five hours later. A SWAT team entered the apartment and arrested Karlow who, officers said, attempted to hide in the insulation of the apartment’s attic.

Prosecutors said Karlow has an extensive criminal record that includes 36 arrests in Washington and 13 felony convictions that include escape, assault, disarming a law enforcement officer, various drug-related charges, and more. Prosecutors said Karlow also faces another hate crime committed in September 2024.

Court documents also stated he allegedly called a Sound Transit fare ambassador, who identified as transgender, a homophobic slur and told them to “put some bass in their voice” before, police said, he punched that victim in the face.

Karlow remains in King County Jail on a $200,000 bail.

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