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Police say a transgender victim was severely beaten, tied by the ankles to the bumper of a minivan and dragged for nearly two blocks in a horrific attack in Florida last week.
The victim, who has not been named in reports of the incident, is currently in the hospital receiving treatment for life-threatening injuries.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) Assistant Chief Brien Kee confirmed to News4Jax that they have video of the incident but “can’t release it” because “it is horrendous.”
Police say the altercation began on Friday night at the Majestic Plaza Apartments at Moncrief Road and West 36th Street.
Multiple sources, including the maintenance worker at the apartment, told News4Jax the victim is a transgender woman.
“I don’t know how this person identifies and, obviously, we want to be respectful of how this person identifies himself,” Kee said.
“It sounds like a hate crime, some type of revenge incident,” News4Jax crime and safety analyst Ken Jefferson said of the crime. “Their purpose was to kill that person, evidently. If they’re … tying them to a vehicle and dragging him through the street, they don’t want that person to live.
Eric Brightman, the Majestic Plaza maintenance man, said the attack started inside one of the units.
“They seen him dragging down the street with a rope,” Brightman said.
Police said they believe the victim was dragged behind a silver or light-colored Dodge Caravan. JSO released four still images of the minivan they believe was used to carry out the attack.
The Florida Times Union reported Sunday that police arrested 34-year-old Eric Shaun Bridges and charged him with attempted murder in connection to the incident.
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