Tacoma’s LGBTQ community gathers in support of crime victim
Feb 16, 2015, 6:14 AM | Updated: 6:53 am
Tacoma's LGBTQ gathered together over the weekend in support of the victim of an ugly hate crime. In the early morning hours of Feb. 8, police say a 45-year-old woman was attacked while out looking for her dog. (KIRO Radio/Chelsea Hawkins)
(KIRO Radio/Chelsea Hawkins)
It was a packed house over the weekend as Tacoma’s LGBTQ community gathered to support the victim of an ugly hate crime.
In the early morning hours of Feb. 8, police say a 45-year-old woman was attacked while out looking for her dog.
She says a man followed her into an alley, stabbed her, and wrote homophobic slurs on her body with a marker.
Tacoma Assistant Police Chief Kathy McAlpine told the crowd at the Rainbow Center Saturday they’re still actively hunting the attacker.
“We have canvassed. We have talked to neighbors. We have any videos neighbors have to try and ascertain who may have done this.”
While she couldn’t reveal much about the investigation, McAlpine did say they believe this was a random act.
The victim, known only as “Chris,” didn’t attend the event, but she did share her thoughts in a letter.
Rainbow Center Executive Director Michelle Douglas read it to the crowd:
“There is hatred and ugliness in this world. It is simply a fact. With that said, no matter how scary this attack has been, remember that in 2015, we live in a world where compassionate, accepting and non-threatening people do exist. We cannot paint all people with the same brush of hatred based on the actions of one person.”
She also stressed that Tacoma’s LGBTQ community can’t walk around in fear, but they need to be aware of their surroundings.
