A 16-year old male is under arrest after he allegedly beat a transgender woman and stole her purse in a March 12 incident that is being investigated as a possible bias crime by the Atlanta Police Department.

The victim, 22, whose home address is listed as being in Baltimore, Md., told police the suspect and friends with him shouted "faggot" and "Are you even a woman?" at her, according to the APD police report. 

The LGBT Unit, including Officers Patricia Powell and Brian Sharp, was notified of the incident immediately after it occurred and the APD's Homeland Security Unit is investigating the robbery as a possible bias crime, said Carlos Campos, spokesperson for the APD.

Transgender woman robbed in possible Atlanta bias crime

Georgia does not have a bias crime law. However, the Atlanta Police Department reports statistics on bias crimes to the FBI.

When a crime involving a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender person is reported it is standard procedure for the Atlanta police LGBT liaisons to be notified.

According to the police report, the victim was at a BP gas station at 180 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. in south Atlanta when one male held her down and another male punched her in the face and stole her purse. Inside the purse was a pink camera and a wallet with her ID and credit cards.

The report states the arresting officer noticed an altercation between two males at the middle of the intersection of Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard and Formwalt Drive.

“While approaching the males, they began to run towards 652 Formwalt Dr. The males then ran behind the houses at 652 Formwalt Dr. I then stepped out of my vehicle and told the males to stop,” Officer B.J. Colon wrote in the report.

“A group of three males began to walk away from me. In the process of walking towards the males, I told them to stop once again. Two males out of the group stopped and one male later to be identified [as the juvenile suspect] kept walking away from me. Another male on the scene stated, ‘That’s him right there. He’s the one who held me down’ while pointing in the direction of [the suspect]. I then caught up to the suspect and detained him for further information,” Colon stated.

The victim is identified as a female and said the suspect assisted in the snatching of her purse.

“[The victim] stated that [the suspect]  pulled her hair and held her down while another male‚ that he was with punched her in the eye and stole her purse,” the report states.

The victim and her brother also chased the suspect and his friends up Ralph David Abernathy to try to get her purse back.

“[The victim] also stated that [the suspect’s] entourage were yelling out obscenities like ‘Faggot,’ ‘Are you even a woman?'” the police report states.

The police arrested the 16-year-old suspect and charged him with simple battery and robbery. He was transported to the Fulton County Juvenile facility with no injuries. No other suspects have been arrested.

Although the victim had visible injuries to her head, she declined medical treatment.