Transgender Teen Stabbed on Metro
A 24-year-old Greenbelt man is facing hate crime charges after allegedly stabbing a transgender teen while aboard a Metro train on Wednesday afternoon.
Reginald Anthony Klaiber, also known as Reginald Kaliber, faces a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, with a bias enhancement, for the attack against the 15-year-old girl. According to charging documents, Klaiber boarded a Green Line train headed south in the direction of Branch Avenue at the West Hyattsville station and approached the teen, who was on board with two friends. Klaiber became belligerent, repeatedly asking the teen, “Are you a boy, you are a boy, right, you got a dick, right?”
At first, the victim tried to ignore Klaiber, but he continued harassing her. According to charging documents, the victim told Klaiber, “Please leave me alone and get away from me!” But Klaiber wouldn’t stop, allegedly saying, “You a motherfucking boy, with a fucking dick, why you be looking like a woman, moe?” The teenager asked him again, “Will you please leave me alone, and get away from me!”
As the train pulled into the Fort Totten station, Klaiber stood up, approached the victim, pulled out a knife and grabbed her in a bear hug before stabbing the teen in the back. The victim pulled away, and one of her friends pulled out some pepper spray and sprayed Klaiber in the face. The doors opened, allowing the victim and her friends to escape, with Klaiber in pursuit, wielding the knife and screaming, “You faggot motherfuckers pepper sprayed me, I am going to stab your faggot ass again!” All four people headed for the Metro exit.
Police later caught and detained Klaiber, who matched the description of the assailant, a 20- to 25-year-old black male with a dark complexion, wearing a dark blue polo shirt, and dark pants. Police took Klaiber back to the station for identification purposes, and one of the victim’s friends positively identified him as the assailant. Police arrested Klaiber and searched him, finding a black folding knife tucked inside his waistband.
The victim was transported to Washington MedStar Hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Klaiber was taken to Howard University Hospital to receive treatment for any injuries resulting from being pepper sprayed.
Klaiber appeared in court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing, which was continued to Wednesday, Aug. 6. He has been held without bond. According to court records, Klaiber has a lengthy arrest record and has previously faced a number of different charges, including threats to do bodily harm, robbery and possession of a prohibited weapon. Some of those cases are ongoing, but will be tried separately from Wednesday’s attack. If found guilty for the assault, Klaiber could face additional prison time for the bias enhancements, which carry additional penalties for those who attack victims based on their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
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