Two men attack transgender woman on Staten Island
Tapharia Jones and Yaqwa Jones released on their own recognizance following anti-trans beating
Two men face hate crime charges after they were arrested for beating up a transgender woman in Staten Island’s Stapleton neighborhood.
Police say Tapharia Jones, 24, and Yaqwa Jones, 20, attacked a 29-year-old transgender woman on Wednesday morning, yelling anti-gay epithets at her and pummeling her repeatedly in the face.
“You’re a faggot!” the men reportedly screamed as they kept punching the woman, reports the New York Daily News.
The two fled the scene, but police responding to the crime pursued them and arrested them about a mile away.
The victim was treated at the scene of the crime for minor injuries.
The two men were arraigned in Richmond County Criminal Court on Thursday, and charged with felony assault with intent to cause injury, along with hate crime enhancements for the charge. They were also with misdemeanor charges of assault with intent to cause physical injury and second-degree harassment.
Both were released on their own recognizance and ordered to stay away from the victim, who was issued a temporary order of protection. Both men will next appear in court on November 16.
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