A transgender woman under attack by multiple assailants in Dallas was caught on video.
Police arrested one of her attackers, 29-year-old Edward Thomas, on a charge of aggravated assault.
Muhlaysia Booker, the victim, was in a minor traffic accident at the parking lot for the Royal Crest Apartments, according to Police as reported on Buzzfeed News.
Earlier, the attack was being investigated as a hate crime as Booker alleged her assailants used homophobic slurs while striking her repeatedly in the face in broad daylight as she tried to get away.
The DPD Beat released a report stating that the incident took place on April 12 between 5 p.m and 6 p.m.
"During a verbal altercation regarding the accident, a male suspect began to physically assault the victim before several other suspects joined in the assault."
"The victim sustained serious bodily injuries and was transported to UT Southwestern by witnesses at the scene."
Facebook user Taj Mahal posted the video footage showing Booker walking in an intersection wearing a pink wig with a crowd closing in on her.
At one point in the footage, the camera flips into selfie mode to reveal the cameraman with another man in a white shirt who eventually knocks Booker to the ground to punch her.
The video resumes with other men joining in the attack. Someone can be heard yelling:
"F*** that ho."
JUSTICE FOR Muhlaysia Booker https://t.co/Mrti86XIej— Busby's Fine Foods & Sweet Treats 2019 (@Busby's Fine Foods & Sweet Treats 2019) 1555174299.0
Women in the crowd could be heard yelling for the men to stop.
The footage concluded with three other women helping Booker to her feet.
Booker's father, Pierre, called the assailant a "coward" and told NBC DFW:
"This don't need to happen to nobody else's kid, so we pray that everything comes out justifiable. We know the Lord works in mysterious ways."
The victim's grandmother added:
"All I tell them you know is I love them. I love them for whoever they are. And I'm not God, I'm not the judge, I'm not the jury."
The father of #muhlaysiabooker is outraged and heartbroken, after his transgender daughter was viciously beaten las… https://t.co/FL5jhBkBNH— Yona Gavino (@Yona Gavino) 1555295388.0
Taj told Buzzfeed that he claimed to be Booker's friend who "happened to stop by" after hearing a commotion that led to the attack.
He also claimed to have shot the footage, but after being asked about the assailant in the white shirt appearing next to the cameraman, Taj changed his story and said he obtained the footage and claimed it was spliced together with other footage.
Booker sustained facial fractures and her right arm is in a sling after being taken to the hospital. A family member told WFAA she is "thanking God that she's still alive."
NEW— Dallas Police arrested Edward Thomas, 29, Sunday night for his role in the beating of a transgender woman. He… https://t.co/IxttXsrlfe— Shannon Murray (@Shannon Murray) 1555321775.0
People are outraged for some media outlets referring to this as a "possible" hate crime.
Fuck “possible” this is what a hate crime looks like v https://t.co/Z5v8Rl5CyY— Michael Golojuch Jr (@Michael Golojuch Jr) 1555262601.0
@ShannonMFox4 @worldflood1 Possible?— Thomas Arena (@Thomas Arena) 1555335746.0
Now since this happened in the city I live in I will say this... Yall niggas are sad af out here and I hope ALL eve… https://t.co/AesBqn25Oa— Inkd_NoLabel (@Inkd_NoLabel) 1555248686.0
@Inkd_NoLabel @UnkleGurry I almost threw up watching this. How awful. And why the fuck weren't there more men stepp… https://t.co/g1I03KgR9F— Please, No Paparazzi (@Please, No Paparazzi) 1555275453.0
@BuzzFeedNews This IS a hate crime. Not by a group of men but a group of homophobic punks.— Kevin D (@Kevin D) 1555303793.0
Others are sending their thoughts and prayers for her recovery.
This is devastating. Praying for you #muhlaysiabooker, and transgender women and men everywhere. Police Are Invest… https://t.co/36ngRkTxjI— Aya M. Waller-Bey, MPhil (@Aya M. Waller-Bey, MPhil) 1555330291.0
UPDATE: Muhlaysia Booker’s family tells me she’s home from the hospital continuing to recover. They say she’s got a… https://t.co/Dcxqf5dRfn— Allie Spillyards (@Allie Spillyards) 1555276292.0
@abc13houston It’s beyond disgusting that pieces of society haven’t learn the simple lesson of tolerance. You don’t… https://t.co/t5opSa6cGP— Neil Cain (@Neil Cain) 1555331325.0
@BuzzFeedNews Why would someone like that. That is horrible. This person is someone’s child, grandchild, friend.… https://t.co/nadgHY4ZhG— Rochelle Talamantes (@Rochelle Talamantes) 1555267041.0
Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings was furious over the attack and acknowledged it as a hate crime on Facebook.
"I am extremely angry about what appears to be mob violence against this woman. I am in contact with the chief and she assured me that the Dallas Police Department is fully investigating, including the possibility that this was a hate crime."
"Those who did this do not represent how Dallasites feel about our thriving LGBTQ community. We will not stand for this kind of behavior."
Booker gave an update to her followers and assured them she is well and recovering.
We wish Muhlaysia Booker a speedy recovery.